In Truth
by shannyfish
Summary: Malcolm Merlyn has returned to Starling City to regain his family...and he's determined to protect all of his children...including raising one from the dead. Olicity, Diggle/Sara (we like to call them Driving Canary), & Thea/Roy (we like to call them Speedy Arsenal)
1. Denial

"_In truth a family is what you make it. It is made strong, not by number of heads counted at the dinner table, but by the rituals you help family members create, by the memories you share, by the commitment of time, caring, and love you show to one another, and by the hopes for the future you have as individuals and as a unit."_

_~ Marge Kennedy_

. . .

"People tell you that family is everything. Family means that you're related by blood and that you're supposed to stick together. No matter what."

Pause.

"What they never tell you is that some of us…we aren't allowed to be part of that family…or circumstances beyond our control pulled us away from our family… That's what it all was. I was deprived my family."

Pause.

"No one should be deprived their family."

Sigh.

"Especially not their children."

Pause.

"Children are precious… It's not the same when you come into their lives when they're all grown up… You miss everything. It's not just their firsts. Their first word, their first step, or their first day of school… It's missing being able to be there and shape who they'll become…"

Pause.

"I should have been there for you. I should have. I know that. I got to see you for the first four years of your life…and then…I just couldn't… I was having a hard enough time coping with being alive. And for those first four years, I wasn't even there every day. I wasn't a normal father. I travelled. So, I missed out."

Tears.

"I missed too much."

Pause.

"But not anymore… I might have missed your first day of school and the first time you went to camp…and going to prom…but I'm not going to miss anymore. They can't take you away from me and I'm not going anywhere. I'm not so easily destroyed…"

She just stared at him, tears in her eyes. She was confused and sore and…there was so much going through her right now that it was hard to process. The only thing that she knew for sure was that she needed to do what Oliver would want. Felicity needed to keep Thea safe. Thea was pretty much the only one in his family who hadn't done something to seriously screw up. Thea, even with her wild days, she was innocent compared to everyone else in Oliver's life. Thea needed to be kept safe.

She didn't know…

She couldn't know.

"I'm not your daughter," Felicity whispered as she held an unconscious Thea in her arms.

Malcolm Merlyn, dressed in full Dark Archer costuming, crouched in front of them. His hood was down and tears were still running down his face. "You really don't remember? You were four, but I would have sworn that you would have remembered…"

"Please…don't do this…" she pleaded.

It wasn't just keeping Thea physically safe that Felicity wanted, but she didn't want the secret to spill. Merlyn had blurted out before when he'd rescued them from being held captive by Slade's men that he wouldn't let them touch 'his daughters', but Felicity had hoped that Thea hadn't heard that. Or that it just wouldn't make sense to her. After all, she'd gotten knocked out during the 'rescue'.

Rescue.

Felicity sighed as she looked down at Thea. She just hoped that Oliver and the others were okay. They'd been there to help them when Merlyn had appeared. She wished that she had her phone or some other way to contact them, but she had nothing.

"We'd sing when you were little…" Merlyn told her. "'Beauty and the Beast'…that was your favorite movie… We'd just seen 'Aladdin' before I left…"

Felicity just stared at him in shock.

No.

No. No.

No. No. No.

Panic started to reel through her and she closed her eyes and then opened them again. She looked down at Thea. She needed to focus on Thea. Merlyn being her father would mean far too many things and Felicity didn't know if she could handle what that could mean for her life. No matter how old she was now, that would still impact her life…

"You'd pretend to be Belle…and we'd sing the song where she goes into the village. I'd play all the parts… Don't you remember?"

He could just be making lucky guesses, she told herself. If he knew anything about her background, then he could do the math. He could figure out what movies a little girl was probably in love with. Didn't everyone know those basic Disney movies? Know all the songs? She was fairly sure that Oliver might have even seen them…and Diggle. She couldn't take Merlyn seriously. She couldn't believe him.

"Come on, Felicity… " Merlyn pushed and got closer to them.

She was trying not to look at him. It was harder than it really should be. Felicity was pushing her focus to Thea though. She had her finger pressed against Thea's neck and she was silently counting her heartbeat. If Thea was okay, then she'd be okay.

"You start," he pushed.

She just remained silent, counting the number of heartbeats.

"How about the song…" He laughed. "The one where Belle sings about the Beast… The one that goes…" Merlyn stopped speaking and started to sing. "There's something sweet…and almost kind…but he was mean and he was coarse and unrefined…but now he's dear and so unsure…"

Felicity stopped counting and just stared at Merlyn. His voice was beautiful…and familiar. Before she could completely place it, tears were falling from her eyes. She knew that voice… Why did it have to be him? Why couldn't he just be someone else? Anyone else? She knew what it said on her birth certificate, it didn't say Malcolm Merlyn…but then she was certain that if he was her father that he'd used a different identity. It just made it all the worse…

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, tears falling and her voice breaking.

"What do you mean?" he questioned.

"You've been gone for over two decades…" Felicity said as she really thought about every word. This really wasn't the time and place for all of her questions, but it was a start to get some answers. "Why did you come back for me now?" she questioned. "I've been in danger before—"

"I didn't realize you were here…"

"You didn't care—"

"Don't say it like that," Merlyn told her. His voice was gentle and full of emotion.

"When I finally came back to civilization after my wife died… There was so much in this world to try to do… I had Merlyn Global… I had Tommy…" He was quiet then. "You were within arm's reach of me… I was trying to be a better person, Felicity. I was—"

"You destroyed The Glades!"

"It was for the safety of everyone…"

Felicity just stared at him for a long moment before replying. "Thea and I were both in The Glades when that earthquake machine went off… Tommy…" Then it hit her. If she really was Merlyn's daughter, then that meant that Thea AND Tommy were her half siblings.

Tommy.

She'd met him, but she hadn't really known him.

Now she never would.

How did you mourn a loss that you really never had?

She found it suddenly hard to breathe. Her finger was still against Thea's neck and she began silently counting again as her eyes closed. More tears fell from her eyes. She'd missed out on really getting to know Tommy…and Thea… Thea could never know.

That broke Felicity's heart.

"No, you don't understand," Merlyn said. His hand touched her arm and she pulled away. She stared at him as he spoke. "We're all going to be a family, just like it should have been… I'll keep you all safe. Nothing bad will ever happen… You'll see…"

"Tommy's dead," Felicity said slowly and all too sadly.

She remembered Oliver after Tommy's death. They'd been best friends growing up. It seemed like she'd never be able to get any of that time back. At least Thea had known him growing up. Thea and Tommy had probably practically been siblings growing up since Tommy and Oliver were friends. Even if Thea never knew, Felicity knew that Thea was lucky to have known him like that.

"Don't say that!" Merlyn spat.

Felicity held tighter to Thea. She shrunk back and wished that he'd just go and leave them. She wondered if he'd just lost it. Obviously, he wasn't dead. He had to have known that Tommy was dead and how he'd died. There was no way that he'd look for them and not for his son…the heir to his name and company.

Was this why Merlyn's estate was taking so long to be taken care of?

It seemed like puzzle pieces were falling into place suddenly. There'd been a prototype of the earthquake machine at the Merlyn Mansion. Bronze Tiger had stolen it and they'd been able to destroy it. Did whoever took care of the Merlyn fortune know that Malcolm Merlyn was still alive? Was that why things hadn't been settled?

Felicity felt like perhaps they were in a lot more trouble than they'd originally thought. If Merlyn had been plotting this whole year… It was bad enough that Team Arrow was going up again Slade Wilson along with bad guys popping up left and right, they didn't need Merlyn to top it all off. Plus, to mix in this family drama…

Family.

She stared back down at Thea and tried to remind herself that she had a family. They might not all be related by blood, but they were her family. They'd come for her and Thea. They'd make sure that they got home safe. They'd hug her and tell her that everything would be okay, even if it wasn't going to be… She knew that Oliver would try to make it okay just the same.

Oliver…

How was she going to tell him?

She suddenly felt like she'd betrayed him somehow.

"Don't say it like that! He's not dead! He's not!" Merlyn screamed suddenly like he had totally lost it.

Felicity started to sob as she pushed herself and Thea back. She was trying to distance herself from Merlyn as much as she could without completely pushing him to flip out anymore. That was the last thing that she needed. All she could think was how much she wished that Oliver would show up already.

"We're going to be together! We're going to be a family!"

. . .

TBC…


	2. Two Days Before: Ups & Downs

TWO DAYS BEFORE…

Felicity was leaning back in her chair at the Foundry. She was the first one there, per usual. Sara was working upstairs in Verdant and so was Roy, but she was still the first one down for Team Arrow business. It had gotten a little awkward for her with Sara and Oliver sleeping not far from where she worked, but she knew that outside of all the stress that they seemed happy. No matter her feelings for Oliver, that was what mattered.

"You're going to make me look bad."

Felicity's head snapped up at his voice and then smiled a moment later. "You have…other things…outside of QC and here…" she said and then realized how pathetic that sounded. She turned in her chair and pretended to be checking on something.

"I was dealing with making sure that my mother and Thea are protected," Oliver said with a sigh.

"About that," she said as she turned back. "It's really sweet that you and Digg are afraid that Slade might kill me," she said all too casually. She noticed the 'look' she got for it too. But it was easier to act like it was nothing; because really there wasn't anything she could do to stop it if that's what Slade Wilson wanted. "And really…you should have just said something and Digg could have stayed INSIDE of my apartment rather than sitting out in his car…"

"Felicity…"

"Focus on keeping Thea and your mom safe," Felicity told him. "You said that he seemed close with your mom… I know that she's not my biggest fan right now, but even I'm creeped out for her…"

"Diggle's taken care of it."

"And Sara?"

"She can take care of that."

"I've noticed," Felicity replied. "But Slade's got the Mirakuru…and Cyrus Gold…he almost killed you before… I mean, I think he could survive a house being dropped on him…"

Oliver smiled at her. "Too bad it isn't as easy as a pail of water."

"Just remember, we're a team… No more trying to go out there after him alone," she said softly. The last time he'd left her determined to find Slade Wilson, it had scared her so badly. She'd been so worried and really the only word to describe it accurately was suicide. "We all signed on knowing the dangers."

"I don't remember quoting you that a super soldier—"

"I knew that I could die…or get hurt…or have my faith in humanity tested," Felicity told him. "But you need to be strong when you finally do go up against Slade Wilson…and you're strongest with all of us. Together. One team."

"Are you going to say it?" he asked as he leaned against her desk.

Felicity looked at him with a bright smile. "I thought that you didn't want me to call us that anymore?"

"Maybe I like hearing you say it once in a while?"

"Do I have to ask permission?" she teased.

He laughed as he crossed his arms. "No."

"You're stronger with us. We're your team, Oliver. Team Arrow."

"Team Arrow," he repeated.

"Now go get changed… I'm sure the criminals are going to hit soon enough. You might as well be ready to go out at a moment's notice," Felicity told him. She watched him go and let out a sigh. Everything that involved Slade Wilson was almost too much. It made Oliver crazy and it made him sloppy, whether he realized that or not.

Oliver sighed.

"What now?"

"I was just thinking about my mother."

"And how incredibly difficult this is because not only are you really not talking to her unless it's in your angry voice, but she's also running for Mayor?" Felicity questioned.

Oliver sighed again. "I ended up having to try to explain why Diggle's ordered her extra security—"

"You really should leave the explanations to Digg."

"I tried."

"So, how'd that go?"

"I'm sure you can guess…" Oliver told her. "And then Thea still suspects something's going on…"

"She's smart."

She watched as he raked his fingers through his short hair. "I guess, I'll go now…" He turned, about to leave to go put on his Arrow outfit.

"Oliver?"

He turned back to face her. He looked exhausted and so worn. She knew that none of this was easy on him.

"It's going to be okay," Felicity told him, trying to sound confidant. "It really will be…"

"I hope so."

Oliver left finally and Felicity wondered if everyone else would be coming in. She really didn't think that Oliver should be out patrolling by himself. She didn't care if Diggle had to put on a hoodie or if she needed to drive about, someone needed to be with him. Between Slade and the family issues, Oliver just needed the extra support and for people to be looking out for him.

A few minutes later, Diggle was walking down the steps. Felicity had been easily able to tell by the way he walked down the stairs. This was the only place she had that skill. She could differentiae between Oliver, Diggle, Sara, and Roy. They all wore different types of shoes and the stairs made different sounds with each person. She put on her cheery face, because after talking to Oliver she was hoping to get something positive from Diggle. She was sure that he had something he could tell her, like how well he and Lyla were doing. They were seriously cute together and Diggle just seemed so happy with her. He deserved it and Felicity was happy for him.

Instead, he looked like crap.

Never mind about cheering her up, she knew that she was going to have to be the one to do the cheering up. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Diggle stared at her a long time, just lingering at the bottom of the stairs. It was like he was deciding on what to do. Finally, he moved towards her. "Lyla broke up with me."

She hadn't seen that coming.

"But…you guys are perfect together," Felicity told him. "People would make those names where people smush your names together… "

"I think you're blowing it up a bit more than what our relationship was," Diggle said. He pulled the other chair over and sat down. "I knew that this was bound to happen… There's a reason it didn't work before."

"Maybe if you two went to couples counseling?"

He laughed. "Yeah, the two of us…couples counseling… I think that all the secrets we keep from the world and our jobs would make that difficult."

That was true.

It also really wasn't helping her.

"So…that's it?" she asked. What happened to people who fought for relationships? That didn't seem to happen as much anymore. She supposed she could understand with Diggle and Lyla, this wasn't their first time trying to give their relationship a go.

"I guess so," he told her. "Lyla running off back to ARGUS almost immediately after telling me… There really wasn't a chance to ask 'why'."

"Do you think maybe her boss is making her?"

Diggle shrugged. "Does it matter?"

"I guess not?" she responded. "I mean, if you don't feel like it matters… I guess there's really nothing you can do about it anyways…at least not right now…" she rambled on. It took two to make a relationship work. Felicity always believed in fighting for something you believed in and loved, which included a relationship. But with Lyla away at ARGUS and obviously not wanting to be apart of this relationship at the moment, it was obvious that it was all they could do.

At least right now.

Felicity hated seeing Diggle so sad though. He was normally the one who cheered her up when she was having a bad day. He was also the one who normally knocked sense into Oliver, unless it was her day. She frowned a bit and wished that she'd known before she'd showed up at the Foundry because she could have brought both of her guys cookies…or donuts…something sweet and possibly with sprinkles. Didn't that kind of thing cheer everyone up?

Felicity suddenly wondered if she could get something delivered…

"I'm going to go check on Oliver—"

"I was sort of hoping someone would go out with him…he's sort of in a mood…you know…Oliver…"

"Yeah," Diggle said. "I'm pretty sure Sara and Roy are both coming in."

"Great," Felicity said as he walked off. "Full Foundry…"

It wasn't that she didn't mind it. It just wasn't exactly the same as it was when it was just her and her guys. She liked Sara and Roy, she did, they just were new and they were all still finding their rhythm and feeling out what was right with the other. It wasn't quite awkward, but it wasn't quite super comfy. It was that weird limbo period, but she knew it would eventually pass…it probably didn't help that Slade Wilson was terrorizing Oliver, Team Arrow, the Queens, and the Lances…or at least they were in his sights.

Felicity sighed and went back to work on her computer and before she could even finishing doing her pass of checking on the normal things around The Glades and Starling City, the door at the top of the stairs was opened. Laughter echoed down into the Foundry and she could hear their voices. Sara and Roy were walking down together.

"No, really…what's in the box?" Roy asked.

Sara laughed. "It's not for you!"

"For Oliver then? You can tell me, I can keep a secret." His voice was serious and it only seemed to amuse Sara more as she started to laugh again.

"Not for Ollie."

"Then who?"

"None of your business!"

"Or did YOU get it as a gift?" he questioned.

"So many questions!"

Felicity turned in her chair to greet them. She knew that Oliver and Diggle would be right back with her at any minute…and then probably kissing Sara, so she really needed to say 'hi' before she felt like the awkward third…or…well, fifth wheel…

"Hey guys," she greeted cheerily.

"Can you keep an eye on Thea for me while we're down here?" Roy requested gently. He always asked her this when he left Verdant and entered the Foundry.

She smiled. "Of course…always do," Felicity responded.

"Go!" Sara said and tried to shoo Roy. "Go find Ollie and Digg."

"But I want to know about the box," Roy insisted, not budging. "Wait…is it for Felicity?"

Felicity looked between them. "What? Did you really bring me something?" Felicity asked her. She was half shocked and half excited. She reached out and caught the edge of the other chair and pulled it towards her. She patted it for Sara. "Sit…" She turned her attention to Roy. "Go," she instructed as she pointed towards where the guys were.

"But—"

"If I tell you that it's just a fancy box with lady products, will that get you to leave?" Sara tried.

Roy just looked confused. "Is that supposed to scare me?"

"Works on most guys."

Both Sara and Felicity laughed lightly now and Roy finally walked off just looking as confused as ever. Sara sat down in the other rolly chair and then looked at Felicity, the mysterious box on her lap. They both looked around, but then Sara opened it to reveal a box of six cupcakes.

"Hopefully you like this kind," Sara said as she picked up one of them and held it out for her. "I'm going to hide the rest…but you're always welcome to my stash.

Felicity gratefully took it and examined it. "Looks delicious… I was just thinking I needed something like this for the guys…"

"Oh?" Sara asked.

"You know…it seems like everyone's got some kind of problem now," Felicity pointed out. She pulled the wrapper from the cupcake and pulled a piece of the cupcake apart before devouring it. This was definitely needed. She would have to get the number off of the sticker that was bound to be somewhere on the box and see if they were still possibly open and see if they would possibly deliver to Verdant.

"I got these because I was so drained between everything," Sara told her. "It's hard to keep my identity and my life the last few years that I don't really want to get into…separate and straight with everyone… Laurel's still…well, Laurel… And my dad…"

"What's wrong with him?" Felicity asked worriedly. Quentin Lance had been kind to her. She felt like he was part of Team Arrow, even if he only knew of her…and now Sara's involvement in it. She always thought of him as a sort of dad, she would keep him safe like her own father if she could. He cared for his daughters and he was a just man; Felicity knew that he'd sacrificed a lot for both of those things.

"He just…you know, he seems a little heartbroken," Sara told her. "He had high hopes when I returned from the dead…officially…of him and my mom getting back together…"

"And that's not happening?"

"Mom has someone back in Central City…"

"Ah," Felicity responded and then ate more of the cupcake.

"Cupcakes!" Roy declared as he returned.

Felicity watched as Sara quickly shut the box. She smirked, but made sure that she finished eating her cupcake in order to keep any of the guys from trying to mooch off of hers. This one was hers; they could wait until she could see if she could get them their own. Not even Oliver with all his charm was going to get a bit.

"Not yours," Sara told them.

"We see how it is," Diggle said. "You share with Felicity, but not with us."

It was clear that he wasn't actually bothered and that it only amused Sara all the more. She'd noticed that out of everyone that was part of Team Arrow that Sara and Diggle seemed to get along the best. They were on the same wavelength. Even more so than Oliver, sure they had the island and their childhood in common…but this was something different. This was on another level. She had just supposed that it came with being soldiers or at least in that kind of trade.

"I'm going out," Oliver announced.

"Can I come?" Roy asked.

Oliver still seemed in a mood. He was brooding and angry and worried…and so much more. He was scared; she could see that even though he tried to mask it. She hoped that since he was announcing it that that meant that he was taking someone with him, anyone worked for her. Just as long as he didn't go alone.

"No."

"Oliver—"

"Stay here, train with Digg."

Roy looked like a kicked puppy dog. He needed the training time, though. She knew how dangerous he could be. He could be a huge liability in the field. He didn't have the discipline or self-control. That came with time…and want. She was fairly sure that Roy had the 'want', it was just learning which took time. Roy had a lot of things going for him. She knew that Oliver was always worrying about failing Roy because of everything that happened with Slade, but the truth was…Roy was going to be fine. Roy had Oliver and the team…and he had Thea. He had everything going for him that he needed.

"I'll get changed," Sara spoke up quickly.

There was always this unspoken way between Sara and Oliver. It didn't happen often, but she'd noticed it. Felicity had always thought that it had to do with their past, their shared past. She'd been on the island… She knew everything (or at least more than Felicity knew) of what had happened… Sometimes Felicity was a bit jealous because that time…it was the shadowed areas in which Oliver tried not to let anyone in…and even she couldn't see past it until he let her.

"Why do you get a cupcake?" Roy asked her, taking Sara's chair once she'd up and left.

Felicity just smiled at him. "Because I'm special…"

"Well, I already knew that."

"Good answer," she heard Oliver say quietly. She smiled even more at that.

"But I'm special in a different way and I didn't get one," he tried.

It seemed that it really didn't take Sara too long to get ready, which surprised Felicity just slightly because she was fairly sure that getting into her Canary outfit took way longer. "Because she's always here to listen," Sara told him as she walked by.

"So, if I need to talk about Thea, then I need to come with a cupcake?"

"No, you don't have to—" Felicity started to say.

"But it's better if you do," Sara told him. She looked around at all three of them. "Just so everyone knows…"

"I feel like I need to buy a cupcake shop," Oliver said. Felicity didn't miss the smirk that Sara gave him before they headed out.

"So…training, right?" Roy asked as he turned in the chair to look at Diggle.

Diggle didn't look too excited, but she was certain that he was more excited to train Roy than he would be if she'd asked. He was willing, but it was clear that her skill set was needed in the Foundry rather than in the field. Knowing something more in the way of self-defense was for just that purpose, self-defense.

"I'm going to see if I can't order some cupcakes," Felicity told them and that seemed to motivate them both into doing what they were supposed to be doing.

. . .

Felicity thought it was interesting that sometimes her day job required listening to more battling in Oliver's office than went on when Oliver was out in the field as Arrow at night. Isabel had been gone for a bit, during that time…it had been practically a vacation (for everyone in the whole building). Now, it was like a war breaking out. She didn't think that whoever designed the Queen Consolidated building took into account Isabel Rochev when they decided on glass walls all around.

"You'll say—do anything to get more control of QC," Oliver said. You could tell that he was talking through gritted teeth. He sounded like he was trying to stay calm, but he was getting irritated more and more. Even so, he sounded like a sensible diplomat compared to Isabel.

"I don't hear you countering my claims," Isabel told him. She was still loud, but she sounded much less hysterical.

"Because they're so ridiculous, I haven't been taking them seriously."

Sometimes, okay…every time, it got like this…Felicity tried to pretend like she wasn't actually listening. That was downright impossible. There was no way she could focus on e-mail or even any kind of social media with Isabel and Oliver going back and forth. She'd even heard Isabel bring up her name several times. Felicity had cringed every time. Isabel always found some way to bring her into things. Isabel had said some really horrible things about Felicity…and with linking her into some kind of sexual harassment with Oliver…and she'd tried her best to stay calm. She knew that if Diggle were there, he'd just remind her that none of it was true and Isabel can't do anything without proof…which there wasn't any of.

"Wow…you can hear that from the elevator…"

Felicity looked up from her computer. "There's a reason Digg takes off…otherwise he'd have a migraine. I'm under orders to call security though if they get too out of control. Plus, he really needed a day off," she told Sara. "I didn't expect you…"

"I thought I'd surprise Ollie and take him out to lunch," Sara told her. She looked towards his office and then back to her. "That's Isabel, right?"

"That…would be her…" Felicity confirmed. She got up from her chair. "I'll go let Oliver know that you're here."

"I can do it."

"It's technically my job," Felicity pointed out. "But if you want to brave the storm WITH me," she offered. She wasn't going to argue about that. It wasn't a secret that Isabel didn't approve of her…for apparently various reasons. Felicity was fairly sure that no one could please that woman…

Sara just smiled at her. "Okay…"

"Because I really wouldn't mind the reinforcements," she added in a whisper a moment later to ensure Sara would really follow her into the storm brewing inside of Oliver's office. They walked the short distance and Felicity tried to interrupt as normally as possible. "Mr. Queen?"

"We're in a meeting!" Isabel snapped at her as she turned to face her. She seemed to lose some of her attitude when she noticed someone else standing there beside Felicity.

"Mr. Queen, you have a lunch appointment," Felicity reminded, trying to remain as pleasant as possible.

"Isabel Rochev," Oliver said calmly as he moved around his desk. He motioned towards Sara. "Sara Lance…"

"You must be the current girlfriend," Isabel said. Her tone was sweet and pleasant, but how she said it spoke volumes.

Felicity swore that Isabel was appraising Sara right there on the spot. If Isabel only knew how much of a fight Sara would put up if one where to break out. Though, Felicity had a feeling that Isabel could hold her own…she seemed like the kind of woman who excelled at things other than business and who needed to know how to defend herself. After all, given how Isabel was…Felicity wouldn't be surprised if she had been in many altercations.

"I am," Sara said with a smile.

"Well, we better get you two off to lunch," Felicity said as she made herself busy by moving over to Oliver's chair. She grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair and his phone from the desk. She assumed everything else he might need was in pockets. Felicity held out the phone to Sara, who accepted it, before Felicity helped him into his jacket. "There you are, Mr. Queen…"

"Isn't she helpful," Isabel said through gritted teeth as she looked from Oliver to Felicity. She really didn't know how to respond to that, so she tried to keep her smile in place.

"Thank you, Ms. Smoak," Oliver said as he glanced over at her. She could tell that he was thankful to be pulled out of Isabel's 'meeting' with him.

"I'm sure she'd do ANYTHING you asked," Isabel told Oliver. She tilted her head and with her tone, Felicity knew that she meant to leave certain words with various meanings. Felicity bowed her head and made her way back to her desk.

"Isabel—"

"We should be going," Sara said.

Felicity looked over from her desk as she sat back down. She could see Isabel reaching out to touch Sara's arm. Now, she really couldn't look away. That wasn't going to work out for someone…and Felicity wasn't quite sure whom yet…but she had a feeling that she might need to call security. She reached out and had her hand on the phone to be ready.

If it went south, it was going to be fast…

"I'd be careful with that one," Isabel said and she looked directly at Felicity. Isabel wasn't quiet either. Felicity could hear her loud and clear. Felicity didn't look away though. "She goes a little too far above her duties with Oliver…" Isabel looked over at Oliver. "Though he'll never complain about her advances…"

Isabel's harassment she could handle, but when Sara looked at her…like she actually believed Isabel she just couldn't take it. Felicity got up from her desk; she grabbed her bag, keys, and phone and just bolted. Never mind her coat, she could get that later. She was hitting the elevator summons button like crazy. Once the elevator was there, she got right in and started to hit the buttons in a way that would take her directly down to the first floor without stopping.

"Felicity!"

She heard Oliver's voice, but she couldn't face him right now. The doors closed and she kept her body pressed against the side of the elevator so he wouldn't actually see her. Felicity sighed in relief as the elevator car started its descent. It was one thing for Isabel to directly go after her, but bringing Sara into things… Felicity didn't want things in the Foundry and on Team Arrow to go all sideways and awkward

Her phone rang and she ignored it. She knew who it was. It was Oliver and he was trying to stop her in order to talk to her. She was too upset at the aspect of her position in Team Arrow being screwed up. She was still adjusting to Roy and Sara being there…and Sara dating Oliver…and them sleeping in the Foundry… She just didn't need this to add to it.

. . .

The knock on her window forced a shriek out of her that she didn't know was even inside of her. Felicity turned to see Diggle standing there. "What? What are you doing?" she asked and opened her car door to find out what he wanted.

"I'm having lunch with my friend," Diggle told her as he held up a bag from Big Belly Burger.

"I have nothing to drink in my car," Felcity informed him.

"You should really be better prepared. At least keep some bottled water in your trunk or something," he scolded lightly and then grinned. "Don't worry…they're on the roof of your car… You were really zoning out there…"

Felicity looked down for a moment. She'd been hiding in her car…in the Queen Consolidated parking structure… She was sure that the reason that he was here was because of Oliver. He'd called Diggle and told him what had happened. So here he was… "I thought you had the day off?"

"Open the other side," he told her as he handed her the bag of food.

Felicity took it and pulled her door shut before unlocking the other door. She turned towards the passenger side just as Diggle got in. He set the drinks in the cup holders between them.

"I figured that chocolate shakes were something necessary… They didn't have a pint of ice cream I could bring…" Diggle told her.

Felicity practically lunged at him as she wrapped her arms around him in the best hug she could manage at that moment. "Thanks Digg," she whispered. He held her for a minute and then she sunk back into her seat. She retrieved the bag of food that had fallen off of her lap and down near the brake and gas pedals. Thankfully, the bag had been folded at the top, so nothing had fallen out. Though she didn't know if everything inside was how it should be.

Peeking into the bag, she smiled. Everything seemed just fine. Diggle had got them both burgers and fries. He really was the best. She reached in and started to pull out the food. "What did Oliver tell you?" she asked quietly as she handed him one of the burgers.

"That I shouldn't have had today off," Diggle told her. He took a bite of the burger.

Felicity just waited and started to eat her burger. She knew that they'd end up actually talking about what Oliver said had happened and she'd have to tell him what she'd been thinking and feeling. Diggle might not be good about expressing his feelings, but he was always good at knowing when she needed someone.

His burger was about half eaten before he spoke up. "So, Oliver said that he thought you were upset… He said he'd tried to stop you at the elevator…"

"The doors were already closing," Felicity rambled before she could think it through first. "Putting your arm in between them to get them to stop and HOPE that the sensor actually works and your arm doesn't get crushed just doesn't seem worth it." He was grinning at her. She sighed. "Okay… So, I heard him and I didn't want to stop and talk. You weren't there—"

"Oliver said that Isabel basically accused you of seducing Oliver—"

"Oh, that's not the ONLY thing she accused me of—"

"He said that she told Sara—"

"And you didn't see the look I got from her," Felicity said quickly. She decided now was the time to eat fries and try her shake. She was getting anxious just thinking about it.

"Are we going to spend this whole time finishing each other's sentences?" Diggle asked after a minute.

Felicity shrugged as she sipped on her shake. "We really can't help it when we're in that zone…"

He laughed. "Do you ever finish Oliver's sentences?"

"Not normally," she told him and went back to her burger. She actually was starving. She hadn't had breakfast…or lunch, so she was actually really glad that Diggle had found her and decided to bring her food. "I just usually know what he's going to need before he says it…"

Diggle was smirking at her.

"What?"

"He seriously doesn't realize how awesome we are as a team," Diggle told her.

Felicity laughed. "Are you going to ask for raises?"

"Believe me, sometimes I think about it…"

"Hazard pay?"

"That sounds about right."

"Isabel is enough for us to require hazard pay…"

"That's combat pay—"

"Oh! True! Combat for sure!"

"You know without us, QC would be Isabel's and the Arrow—"

"Would still be called the Hood—"

"And most likely still killing people," Diggle pointed out.

Felicity tilted her head. "I hadn't thought about that…"

"YOU made Oliver really think about there being another way of doing things," Diggle reminded her.

She thought about it for a moment. "Wouldn't he just still be on Lian Yu?"

"Do you really think he would have stayed on Lian Yu for the remainder of his life?" Diggle questioned. "There's no way that he would have been able to deal with that… He'd probably have gone off…maybe joined the League of Assassins…"

Felicity just stared at Diggle for a few minutes as she thought about that. She couldn't see that. At the same time, Sara had been part of the League of Assassins…so, maybe it wasn't such a leap… Either way, she was glad that that wasn't Oliver's life… "Maybe we need to remind him of how lucky he is...and that he really needs both of us…"

"What are you thinking?"

"Of not going to the Foundry later," Felicity mumbled with the straw still in her mouth. He didn't seem to really care. She knew that they could handle things without her there, though it might not run AS smoothly. "And possibly…calling out sick tomorrow…"

"You know you can't let Isabel scare you off…"

"If anyone is harassing anyone…I'm the one that's being harassed," Felicity told him. "I just can't handle looking at Sara or Isabel… Not yet. I need a day off…" She looked at him, gauging his reaction. "It's not like we get a day off…not really… I just need a day… We can call it a mental day…"

"I'm not judging… I agree with you…" Diggle told her.

"It's hard…"

"To see them together?"

Felicity kept her eyes on him for a moment before responding. "I'm glad that they're happy," she responded. Seriously? How was it that Diggle knew EVERYTHING that was going on and how she was always feeling? He was the best friend in the worst kind of way.

"I'm sure it's not easy to see them together…"

"I like Sara," Felicity told him. "It's nice having another woman around…No offense… But sometimes there's just too much testostorone floating around in the Foundry…"

He laughed. "I like Sara too…"

"Roy's good…he's like an annoying little brother… I mean, he can be great, but sometimes…"

"Part of that is the Mirakuru…"

"I'm just saying…"

He smirked. "Finish your shake…"

"Are you going to report in?" she asked when she noticed him pull out his phone and ready himself to text.

"I told him I'd at least let him know that you were okay," Diggle told her. "He was worried…and for the record, he didn't say anything about Sara…"

"Doesn't mean that she's not thinking that maybe those things Isabel said is right…"

"She has no proof…"

"I mean, I do like to watch him…at the Foundry…on the salmon ladder…"

"But I'm pretty sure watching Sara do it is impressive too…"

"That's true," Felicity agreed.

"Take your day tomorrow and just put everything Isabel said out of your mind and don't worry about Sara. Everything's going to be fine, I promise, Felicity."

. . .

TBC…


	3. One Day Before: Checking In

ONE DAY BEFORE…

The knock on the door, Felicity had been certain that it would be Diggle or maybe even Oliver. So, she was pretty shocked when she opened her door to find Sara there. Of course she should have looked through the peephole first, but she hadn't thought that Slade Wilson could just show up at her doorstep and expect to be invited in. "Did Oliver send you?" Felicity asked with some irritation.

She had flat out told Oliver in an e-mail that she was taking the day off as a mental day. Felicity really didn't know why she needed to be checked on, especially by Sara. It was one thing when it was Diggle… Even if she and Sara were okay normally, their friendship wasn't cemented like hers was with Diggle.

"No," Sara responded. "He doesn't know that I'm here…and I don't know that he would have approved if I had…" Sara was quiet for a moment. "Can I come inside?"

Felicity nodded and stepped aside. She was dressed in pajamas, but she didn't care. "Oliver knows why I wasn't at the Foundry…and why I'm not at QC right now," she told her. Though Felicity didn't know why she felt the need to explain herself to Sara.

"Hey, everyone needs a day off," Sara told her. She was looking around and then motioned towards the couch. "Why don't we sit down?"

She moved over to the couch and turned off the TV. Felicity was feeling like Sara was planning to stay a bit. At least she could watch the rest of the Lifetime movie later when it repeated in a few hours.

"Look, I know that it's weird for me to be back," Sara told her. "It's weird for me… I'm trying the best I can…" She paused. "And I'm sure it's got to be hard for you that Oliver and I—"

"I'm happy for you and Oliver," Felicity told her. And really, she was…they both deserved to be happy. It had just happened really fast.

"I know that you have feelings for him."

Was it really that obvious to everyone?

"He's my family," Felicity told her. She really didn't feel like it was appropriate or comfortable discussing her feelings for Oliver with Sara. Sara Lance was the last person she was going to discuss her feelings with right now. It was one thing if it was Diggle because…well, he brought her food…and shakes…and he knew… He'd been around since everything had started and he'd always noticed how she felt about Oliver. She knew that she could always talk to Diggle, even though right now…it really wasn't the best time. She'd been forced to though yesterday when he'd found her and they'd had lunch in her car. He was still getting over the break up with Lyla, though…

Sara seemed to study her for a moment. "Oliver explained about Isabel…"

Isabel Rochev.

Felicity swore that that woman was after her just as much as Oliver. With her luck, Isabel was probably trying to find a way to fire her or just writing her up. She was certain that Isabel didn't believe in sick or mental days… She probably also didn't know what an actual vacation was…

"Oliver and I—"

"You two have this friendship…this relationship," Sara told her. "No one understands it… I think I'm finally seeing why—"

"Oliver and I are just friends," Felicity told her quickly. She didn't want Sara to get the wrong idea about them. The last thing that she wanted was for things to end up getting weird between the two of them because of whatever Sara thought was going on. Nothing was going on. He was always there for her and she'd always be there for him, but Oliver was with Sara…and that was it. "He's never been inappropriate in any way or—"

Sara smiled. "It's not that." She was quiet for a few minutes. "Maybe it's because you're always together…"

"Digg too," Felicity put out there. For two years, it had been the three of them. This last year though, with the changes at QC the three of them were together ALL of the time. There really wasn't much time for time off or anything else. The three of them were practically inseparable sometimes, which she supposed was good that they didn't fight too much…unless it was over Oliver doing something he shouldn't… She considered that more of knocking sense into him. She and Diggle took turns with this normally, it really was a team effort keeping Team Arrow going.

"But Ollie talks to you," Sara told her.

Felicity was suddenly feeling a more uncomfortable. "I'm sure he talks to you too…"

"Not like you," she told her gently and calmly. "He tells you secrets…you keep them safe for him…and I'm glad, I'm glad that he can talk to you…"

"Sara—"

"I'm not mad…if anything, I'm mad at myself," Sara told her. "I hadn't meant to have even considered what Isabel had said for a moment… And I did. I know you well enough to know that even though you obviously have feelings for Oliver…even if he were returning them, you would never do them when he was with me…"

Staring at her for a moment, Felicity tried to think of the words. What did she say to that? "So…I was just going to stay home… Watch Lifetime movies that I'm fairly sure can make you cry no matter what…they have to somehow seep hormones out of the TV or something…and then eat ice cream…" Anything to get them off of the topic of her relationship with Oliver. It was just awkward and odd for her to even discuss. Also, she just didn't want things to change with Oliver. Even IF she had feelings (which she did), she didn't want things to get all weird and awkward between her and Oliver because Sara was worried or something… "You can join, if you want…"

"Okay," Sara said after a moment. They sat there for a moment. The TV was still off, but Felicity hadn't moved yet and she'd just realized that it wasn't on. "I was just trying to get around to apologizing… I know, it probably caught you off guard with me showing up here…and talking about Oliver."

Felicity looked over at her. "It's okay. I just, I don't want to cause problems for you guys… You deserve to be happy."

"So do you."

"Well, the closest guy that I have to a 'guy' is in a coma right now…"

"Oliver's told me about him," Sara told her. "He sounds like a good guy."

"He is."

"He saved Oliver right… Diggle had mentioned that Oliver had been pissed because you brought him to the Foundry."

"Oliver would have died…and it was the only way to keep the Arrow a secret, but yeah…he was pissed…"

"Well, if he makes you happy…then I hope he wakes up soon…"

"He's not really 'my guy'," Felicity tried to straighten up, which just turned into rambling. "He's just the closest to one I have is all… Barry and I are friends, that's all…"

"Sometimes it just takes the right time," Sara told her.

Felicity finally turned on the TV. "I think the Lifetime movies tell you more that you need to be psycho and plot and kill the woman in the way…" She turned to look at Sara. "Don't worry…I don't have plans or anything."

Sara grinned. "Oh, I think I might need to be worried…"

"You'd fight me off easily," Felicity countered.

"You have tech on your side…and you think clearer…"

She smiled. "Now it almost sounds like 'The Hunger Games'…which I would probably die in…so I really don't want to play…"

They went to watching the movie and Felicity was glad that things seemed to have turned to weird to okay. It was still a little awkward, but it wasn't often…or ever that she had someone at her place. It was sort of nice, though. Sara liked to help her come up with better ideas to kill off whomever they were trying to kill than the bad guy.

. . .

Felicity was impressed by not only how many movie channels she had that she never got to watch, but how many Lifetime channels there were as well. She'd changed over to watching some other movies when the channel started to repeat what she'd already watched. Sara had stayed over for two movies and then had left. Diggle had already checked on her about three times.

She'd actually been tempted to go to the Foundry, just to do something. She was finding it hard to really relax. She was far too used to working at QC and then at the Foundry. Her life normally didn't give her much time for sick days or vacations…unless it involved jumping out of a plane or going to break out of a Russian prison. That was really the closest that they got to vacationing.

What they did was important though, she knew that.

She'd made herself stay home though. She hadn't changed out of pajamas all day. It was sort of nice, but odd at the same time. Felicity had kept herself from texting Oliver because she just didn't think that she needed to bother him or possibly have him trying to discuss what had happened yesterday. She just really wanted to forget that it even happened. She knew that the whole thing had just snowballed out of control. As far as Felicity was concerned, they were all okay… Except Isabel, Felicity still didn't like her.

It was late and dark and she'd closed the blinds closed on all her windows. She'd pulled out a blanket and was all wrapped up on her couch watching…she wasn't sure what number movie she was on, but this was most likely the most TV or movies she'd watched since joining Team Arrow. The movie was scary and the only reason she was even watching it was because of an actor in it. Any sound from the outside and she'd be glancing in that direction.

When the screen lit up, the silhouette of someone behind her caused her to scream, duck down, and throw a pillow backwards. She looked up to see Oliver standing there as the Arrow. No mask and the hood was down, but he was still dressed as the Arrow. She let out a sigh of relief before chucking the other pillow at him. He dodged it, of course, which only irritated her more.

"You left your bedroom window open."

"Oliver! If Slade is going to get me, a window lock isn't going to stop him," she pointed out.

"Slade isn't the only one who could hurt you, Felicity."

"You can't always look out for me."

"I can try."

Felicity huffed. She really couldn't fault him for wanting to watch out for her. "Why are you here, Oliver?" she asked as she moved back to a sitting position.

"I wanted to check on you."

"Everyone else has today…except Roy, but I really didn't expect that…" she rambled. "Though, I hadn't expected Sara either and she just showed up earlier…"

"Sara was here earlier?"

"She was making sure I was okay," Felicity explained. She just hoped that he didn't get mad. Sara had told her that she hadn't told Oliver she was going to go see her. "And Diggle's called a few times…"

"I guess I was just worried that you wouldn't show up tomorrow."

"Big meeting tomorrow," Felicity told him. "But everything's already done and ready. The only thing that's going to need to be done is for the folders to be set out and the coffee. You've got everything else…"

"I know," he said and moved to sit down with her on the couch. It was odd seeing him in such a casual position while in the Arrow suit. "But I need you there."

Felicity smiled. "I'll be there. They'll even be bagels…even if they don't all appreciate them…"

Oliver smiled at her. "I promise to eat at least one…"

"We can take them to the Foundry afterwards… Roy will devour the rest, if all else fails…"

He laughed. "I'm so glad that you've found a good use for him," Oliver joked. "I'm not sure how much he'd appreciate us thinking of him as a human garbage disposal."

Felicity returned the smile. "I don't think he'll really mind that much…at least not after he starts to eat the bagels."

"Right."

"So…"

"So…"

"So…" Felicity said. "You're here…in my living room…and you could have just peeked through a window…or crept in and crept out…if you were just making sure that I was still breathing… Or you know, like a normal person…you could have just called…or texted…or even e-mailed."

Oliver just stared at her. He opened his mouth to say something and then closed it again. It took him a minute to figure out words because he didn't speak up right away. "I needed to see you." And she could tell that that was the truth.

"It's weird…" she whispered as she looked downward. "I'm far too used to seeing you…and Digg everyday… Taking a day and a half off… I missed you guys…" She looked up and found him still smiling at her.

"I missed you," Oliver told her quietly. "And Diggle did too…" He smiled brighter. "He made the comment that I'm not very…what's the word he used…mmm…agreeable to be around when you're out sick."

Felicity just nodded and pressed her lips together, trying not to smile too much. "Well," she said. "Tomorrow I'll be there…"

"Felicity—"

"I'm surprised that Sara isn't with you."

Her comment seemed to have thrown him. Oliver looked like he had to process what she was saying for a moment. "She's back at the Foundry."

"You two have been pretty inseparable in the field since she's been back," Felicity commented. "I just thought—"

"Have I made things uncomfortable for you?" he asked. "You can tell me honestly. I won't be upset or mad at you, but I need to know… I know that it effects a lot… Queen Consolidated…and the Arrow…"

Felicity stared at him for a long time. She didn't say anything at first because she was really trying to think of how to respond. She knew what her response had to be. Was she uncomfortable with everything between Sara and Oliver? Sometimes… But looking at the whole picture, she knew that he hadn't meant for it to happen. She wasn't uncomfortable all of the time. So, there was that to take into consideration.

"It's not you," she finally spoke up. "Just…listening to you and Isabel…and the things Isabel was saying—"

"I've tried to talk sense into her—"

"Sense? That's really not something that Isabel really seems to understand," Felicity commented. "Just…what I've noticed…"

He smiled and shook his head. "You're right…"

"Thank you, though," Felicity said. "For trying…"

"I wish that it would just stick with her," Oliver told her. "I shouldn't have to tell her to be professional. I shouldn't have to explain to her that you're my assistant and that there's nothing inappropriate going on between us… It's really none of her business. Someone else would have reported it, if it was something of real concern. It's just because of how—"

"Close we are?"

"Yeah."

They smiled at each other. Maybe, sometimes, she finished his sentences. She couldn't help knowing what he was going to say to her sometimes. She stared at him for a long moment and she just soaked in his presence. How she'd missed him. It wasn't just his face…or his abs… It was just Oliver… She could be okay if they just sat there in the dark and in the silence together… That was enough as far as she was concerned.

She noticed his attention turn and she could hear the faint buzz of someone talking into his ear. She knew that he might be getting some report of a robbery or something happening that he really should go take care of. "Go," Felicity whispered.

He got up from where he'd been sitting and he paused for a moment. "I'm on my way," he spoke in response to whoever was talking to him. Felicity was fairly sure that it was probably Diggle. Sara was likely beating something into submission because Oliver had left her behind or training Roy. He surprised her, though; he leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Lock up…" he whispered. "I'll see you in the morning…"

Her eyes closed as his lips touched her forehead. When she opened them again, he was gone. That was it. Felicity knew that he meant the best, but she didn't want to be on red alert at all times just because Slade was out to kill them all. She'd close her bedroom window later… She looked over to notice that she'd missed her scary movie…she really wasn't too sad about that. "Maybe we should go with something a bit more cheery," she mumbled to herself as she looked through her channels.

. . .

TBC…


	4. Earlier: Slow Day, Exciting Night

EARLIER THAT DAY…

Felicity had showed up at Queen Consolidated early and with a smile on her face. She'd forgotten to lock her bedroom window, she'd been so dead tired by the time she'd dragged herself to bed after falling asleep during her movie that she'd just collapsed into her bed. In the morning she'd found that her window was closed and though it was still unlocked, there was a vase of flowers by her bedside table. If it hadn't been so sweet, she would have found it incredibly creepy.

But since she'd gotten in before many people, she'd been able to quickly and easily ask in the lobby if Isabel Rochev had come through yet. She was happy to hear she hadn't, but he'd pointed out that there was a scheduled meeting, which she knew about, that she was supposed to attend. Felicity actually already had the bagels and cream cheese. The meeting wasn't until later, but she'd already been scheduling everything she needed to do in her head as she went through the steps of making sure everything was in order for their day.

"You know, I honestly didn't think you'd actually make it two nights and one day…"

She smiled and shook her head. She'd been standing at her desk with her back to the door. The workday hadn't officially started yet and Oliver hadn't shown up, so she hadn't expected anyone to drop in or need anything so early. Felicity set the files down on her desk and turned to look at Diggle. "You're here early…"

"I had to make sure you were actually here," Diggle told her. "I might have gone to the Foundry and pinged your phone…"

"Everyone's stalking me," she teased. "You know that it would have probably have been less trouble for you to just park out in front of my apartment again." She eyed the bag he had and the small drink carrier in his other hand. "You better have brought something for me," she told him half serious.

He held up the coffee. "Only if you're coming tonight."

"Oh, I'm coming tonight," Felicity said as she took one of the coffees from the holder before he could decide not to share. She walked to the other side of her desk and sat down.

"You know we could go inside of Oliver's office and actually sit on the couch in there," Diggle pointed out.

"Isabel—"

"It's not Isabel's office."

Felicity tilted her head as she thought about it for a moment. "You're right…"

"Do you REALLY think Oliver is going to be irritated that we used his couch?"

"Only when he realizes that you brought me coffee and he didn't get any," Felicity pointed out as they made their way into Oliver's office. Diggle did have a good point. It wasn't like that couch got a lot of use…except when Diggle decided it was his post for the day.

Diggle grinned and held up the white paper bag he'd been carrying. "I also brought donuts…one for Oliver…"

"You do get points for no coffee though," Felicity told him as she was handed her donut. She and Diggle had an agreement that no one got Oliver coffee except Oliver, unless she decided to be extremely especially nice for a specific reason. She was still firm in her stance that this wasn't what she went to college for. Was she good at it? Yes. For the most part anyways, but she often found herself missing the IT department though. In a lot of ways, it was simpler working down there. At the very least, there was less drama.

"I try to follow orders," Diggle told her as he raised his cup of coffee up to her.

. . .

Felicity had been doing her best to avoid Isabel from the moment she'd walked into the building. She just wanted to get the meeting set up, get it over with, and try to get out of the building without Isabel causing any problems. She'd been making sure that it was all 'Yes, Mr. Queen' towards Oliver all day. She wanted to make sure that she was as professional as possible in order to keep things just right.

"This has been weird, just so you know," Diggle whispered to her as they stood outside of the conference room together. They could easily see Oliver through the glass walls in case he needed anything.

"What?" she asked, just as quietly. She didn't turn to look at him.

"This whole super professional Felicity…"

"I'm always professional."

"This is more like the robot version."

Felicity frowned and finally looked over at him. "I just don't want—"

"I know," he told her with a smile. "Just wanted to make sure you hadn't gotten broken since earlier…"

Felicity just rolled her eyes in response before turning her attention back to the meeting. All she wanted was to make sure that everything was a success. It wasn't just for Oliver or QC, it was for their jobs as well. It also meant that if things went well, then it was likely that Isabel would disappear for a while. That would make all their lives easier.

. . .

Felicity had thought that things had gone smoothly at the meeting, but Oliver hadn't known for sure. So, she decided to stop and pick up dinner on her way to Verdant and the Foundry. She wanted to get there early in case there was anything that needed to get done before everyone else got there.

She'd noticed that there were some semi-trucks blocking where she normally pulled in and parked, so she had to park somewhere else. Normally she would find it odd, but just figured that there was a delivery. After all, normally she wasn't there so early. Felicity was sure that Thea was already there and setting things up, it was even possible that Sara and Roy were around too. No matter, she'd work down in the Foundry while they were up at Verdant.

A quick scream brought her attention to the parking lot around her. She looked around searching for who was in danger. Felicity was pulling out her phone and ready to call the police when she finally spotted who had screamed…and worse of all, who was trying to take that person. The police weren't going to be of any of help to them. She hit her phone to dial Oliver and then dropped it. If he didn't hear what was going on, at least he could trace where her phone was. That would give them some sort of a start.

Thea Queen.

Slade Wilson.

She was surprised that he was out doing his own dirty work, but maybe he had thought Thea would go with him willingly? Felicity wouldn't have been surprised after him showing up at the Queen Mansion if that had been his plan…and then it had gone wrong. She ran across the parking lot, impressed with herself for not falling in her heels.

"Stop!" she yelled when she felt like she was going to be too late. Slade was already stuffing Thea into the backseat of a rather nice looking car. Felicity couldn't let him get away with Thea. It was messy enough with Slade Wilson with the looming threat, but Thea didn't need to be involved in it.

Slade turned towards her and seemed amused. She tried her best to get past him, which didn't get her anywhere. Felicity used her purse to smack him with, but that really wasn't helping. Even if she'd had a brick inside, it was no match to the Mirakuru in his system. She knew that. Slade just laughed. She knew that it was fairly impossible for her to really do anything, but she was keeping him there just a little longer… A little longer could mean that Roy, Sara, or someone else from Verdant could come outside and see them… A little longer meant that Oliver could get there… A little longer meant a lot…

"You're Oliver's girl," Slade said as he just held Felicity in place, she squirmed and tried to fight back but there was no use. "I've read about you…"

Felicity just stared at him.

"I was going to come for you soon enough, but since you're here," Slade told her and yanked her in the direction of the back of the car where he'd already shoved Thea. "I assume you know who I am…"

She stayed quiet as he guided her to the back of the car. Felicity didn't know whether to be relieved or panicked that Thea was lying in the back unconscious. Was she hurt? Would she be okay? Did she need medical care now? What were Slade's plans?

He shook her and it was enough to scare her. "Answer me!"

"I know who you are," she replied as calmly as possible.

"You know about the Mirakuru?"

Closing her eyes, she nodded before she realized that maybe he wanted to hear a verbal response. "Yes…I know what it is…"

"Then you should be smart enough to get into the back of the car on your own accord…and not to try anything," Slade towards her as he released her and nudged her towards the car. "If you try something, I will kill you both…and before your beloved Oliver even has the time to attempt to save you both… If he's given the choice, I'm afraid you're not going to be the one that he chooses, Ms. Smoak."

Without much choice, Felicity got into the back of the car. She pulled Thea into an upright position and strapped her into the middle seat. Felicity buckled herself in, as well, just in case. She wanted them both to be buckled in because she had no idea what was coming or how Slade would drive. So far, she didn't see any injury on Thea, but that didn't mean that she wasn't injured.

"Don't worry, we'll be seeing Oliver soon…" Slade told her as he glanced back at her. A smile was on his face and he seemed far too confident.

Felicity had been dreading this… The showdown between Oliver and Slade that was destined to come. They couldn't run from it, but they'd been trying their best to prepare. It was already going to be difficult enough, but now Slade was throwing her and Thea into the mix as hostages… This wasn't going to end well and Felicity was afraid of the outcome… Oliver couldn't go up against Slade on his own and hope to survive…she knew that…even with Roy, Sara, and Diggle…she was frightened. She didn't want Oliver to die.

. . .

"How did you manage them to cooperate?"

That voice.

Felicity felt a chill run down her spine. She knew that voice. Slade had been parading her and Thea through a warehouse and she figured that he was going to lock them up until he could use them as bait. Thea was confused and scared and…well, injured. Felicity was keeping her upright, her arm around Thea tightly, in order to keep them together just as much as anything else.

"What's going on?" Thea mumbled.

"Shh… It's going to be okay," Felicity whispered. She just hoped that she wasn't lying.

"The blonde one is fairly reasonable," Slade announced.

Felicity was looking all around to see if she could locate the other voice. She kept telling herself that she had to be imagining it. It wasn't… It couldn't be. It was just someone who sounded like—

And then there she was.

She stopped, still holding onto Thea, her eyes widened in shock. This wasn't possible… She didn't know what to do or say, except stand there and stare.

"Is—Isabel," Thea said. Felicity could hear the confusion in her voice and she hoped that the knock to Thea's head might be enough for her to think that she was hallucinating, that was…as long as Oliver and the others got there soon and saved them.

"You should have let me have you fired, Ms. Smoak," Isabel said as she approached them. She was dressed all in black, her dress hugging every inch of her. Isabel Rochev looked perfect, even standing there in a run down and probably condemned warehouse. "But I see how you look at him…you would have happily have followed him around like a little puppy…lovesick…" She smiled towards her as she approached further. "Don't worry," she whispered. "I'll be here to comfort him after you're gone…"

Isabel ran her fingers along Felicity's hairline and she pulled back. "Isabel, please…not Thea—" Felicity pleaded.

"They really don't know who you are, do they?" Slade asked, he was obviously amused by this.

"I believe you've met my sister," Isabel said.

Felicity thought for a moment. She was fairly sure that Helena didn't have a sister, so she didn't have to worry about The Huntress 2.0. Right?

"Nyssa…"

Oh crap.

They were all screwed.

She wished that she could warn the team, but then it struck her. Why hadn't Sara said something? If this was Nyssa's sister, wouldn't she have been in the League of Assassins as well? Wouldn't Sara know her? Why wouldn't she say something? She and Oliver should know! Diggle should know! They'd been dealing with Isabel for a year now…and Sara had been back long enough…she was certain that Oliver would have brought up Isabel at least once…and she'd MET her. Felicity's mind just spun as she kept thinking about it.

"You've realized that I know your friend, Sara…haven't you? I'm guessing she didn't warn you about me?" Isabel questioned.

"Why—How—"

"My name is Talia, daughter of Ra's al Ghul…" Isabel told her. "Don't worry, our plan isn't to kill Oliver…not yet," she said. "And I can tell you this in the peace of knowing that Oliver may not die tonight, but you will…"

. . .

All she could think about was how to get Thea out of there.

Felicity had tried to find a way out of the little room that they'd been locked in inside the warehouse, when Thea had been groggier than she was now. They were definitely bait now. She knew that. Slade had made it clear. The problem was, none of them knew that Isabel/Talia was lurking. She'd changed into a very skintight black leather outfit…and her face was covered. Felicity could only hope that Sara had finally said something to Oliver about Isabel being Talia al Ghul. He needed to know whom he was up against.

"You say something…and Talia'll kill Ms. Queen here without a thought," Slade told Felicity.

He hadn't tied them up. He'd just put them inside of a chalk circle and told them that they weren't to move out of it. Felicity was still holding onto Thea, though. She'd been trying to convince her that they would be okay. Felicity really didn't know how convincing she'd been, but at least Thea had seemed calm enough at the moment. It really was all that Felicity could ask for. She didn't know how she was going to breathe once Oliver as the Arrow and the rest of the team showed up if she couldn't say anything. She knew that Oliver wouldn't want her to risk Thea's life just to give them a head's up. Sara should have already done that.

"What do they want?" Thea whispered, her voice breaking from the clear upset she was experiencing.

Felicity held her tightly in a hug. "It's going to be okay," she told Thea just as quietly and hoped it was the truth.

"That's right, be a good little assistant," she heard Isabel/Talia purr from behind her in the shadows.

She closed her eyes and just held onto Thea. "We're going to be okay," she barely whispered. This time it was more for her benefit than Thea's. They SAID that they weren't going to kill Oliver, though apparently she was expendable, but she didn't believe them. If they had Oliver, why would they just let him go? Her mind started to race with ideas…horrible, horrible ideas…and it just made her feel sick and want to break down and cry.

There was no way to tell how much time had passed; neither she nor Thea had worn a watch. It felt like hours had passed… It was dark and they were both cold, even though both were in their coats. Felicity unfolded the collar on Thea's jacket, so that it was standing straight up and buttoned the top button. "Stay warm," she whispered.

"We're going to die…" Thea almost cried.

"We're not," Felicity told her strongly.

"Here they come," Slade announced.

Felicity continued to hold Thea close, trying to shield her from anything that was about to go down. "Stay still and don't move… We're going to be okay," Felicity told her. She looked over and saw the look from Slade, he made a motion for her to be quiet and she knew that she had to. Isabel/Talia could easily kill Thea from her hidden position. Felicity couldn't risk that.

"Let them go, Slade! This is between you and me!"

The moment she heard his voice, tears started to run down her face. She had to hold her breath in order to keep from screaming out to him. She wanted to hide her face from the action that was coming, like she was doing for Thea, but she knew that she couldn't. Felicity had to see what was going on. If there was a chance that she could help or get Thea away from there, then she needed to do it. She might not go out and wear a mask or shoot arrows, but she was still apart of that team.

"Why not come down here and face me then?!" Slade called back.

Felicity kept looking between where Isabel/Talia hid behind them, Slade, and where she finally saw Oliver as the Arrow. She just stared up at him and mentally wished that she could tell him exactly what was happening. She wished that they were all watching her and that they'd noticed her anxiety and fear about whatever or whomever was behind her…because in this moment, it was important that they all notice her. Any other time, they could be oblivious…but not now…not when lives depended on it.

See me.

Notice me.

She looked back towards Isabel/Talia for a long moment and then turned her attention to where Oliver was…had been. Where was he? He'd moved. He wasn't there any longer. Felicity opened her mouth, tempted to chance it, but Slade pulled out one of his swords and neared them.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you," he spoke quietly and yet menacingly.

"Please, let us go," Thea cried out as she sobbed.

Felicity just held her tighter and started to search for just a glimpse or Oliver…or Sara…or Roy…or Diggle. Any of them. Someone had to know. Anyone could communicate with the others, but someone had to know.

"Please!" Felicity shouted out to Slade.

"You're going to sacrifice her life!" Slade yelled back.

Tears continued to run down her face as she started to stand up. "Take mine. Not hers."

"That's not our deal."

"Change it," Felicity challenged.

Slade just laughed, he walked towards her, sword drawn and she positioned herself so that Thea was behind her, but she knew that that still left Thea open to Isabel/Talia. She couldn't completely shield Thea and that was terrifying. Felicity took a breath and just hoped that Thea would be safe and with any luck, that Slade Wilson wouldn't kill her right then and there.

"Let them go, Slade!"

Felicity closed her eyes and tried not to let out the sobs that were welling up inside of her. It was then that she realized that she was standing between Oliver and Isabel/Talia. So, it wasn't like she could shoot him without him seeing her first.

"I made a promise to you, Kid—" Slade told him.

Oliver was standing there, dressed as the Arrow – mask and all, bow drawn and ready. He was staring at her and she just wanted to tell him. She knew that she couldn't and she knew that if she tried to mouth it, that she'd probably be given away and Slade would try to have Thea killed still. She really had no choice right now.

"Not them! They're innocent in all of this!" Oliver shouted at Slade.

She could see him shaking slightly, ever so slightly. Felicity knew that this was hard for him. She knew that he'd been so good about not killing, but when it came to Slade Wilson, there really wasn't going to be any choice. Oliver had already thought that he dead once before.

Before she could think, Slade had a hold of her and was hauling her away from Thea. Felicity held tight to Thea, though. Slade stopped moving after about two steps. She noticed the glare he was giving her, but she wasn't giving up her hold on Thea. "She's not innocent, is she?" Slade questioned. "She's been helping you all along…"

"Let them go!"

This time, the voice wasn't one that Felicity could place. It was naggingly familiar, but it wasn't one of Team Arrow and not Slade. It was male, for sure and when she was thrown back into the chalk circle with Thea in tow, she saw that it was another archer. It took her a moment, she needed to grab better hold of Thea. After that, it was when she realized that the archer reminded her far too much of Malcolm Merlyn.

Merlyn was dead, right?

But Oliver had thought that Slade Wilson was dead…and he was…not dead.

So, could Malcolm Merlyn be alive too?

"Another one?" Slade questioned and let out a laugh.

"He's not with the Arrow," Isabel/Talia spoke up as she stepped out of the shadows. Her face was covered and she approached the other archer. "You shouldn't be here—"

"Nice to see you again too, Talia," the Dark Archer said.

"This isn't your fight!"

"You made it my fight when you put my girls in the middle of your vendetta." He moved past Isabel/Talia and towards Felicity and Thea. "They're coming with me."

"No," Slade argued.

Felicity just looked past Slade towards where the Arrow had just been. He wasn't there anymore. She started to panic, Thea was still sobbing in her arms, and all Felicity could see was the blade in Slade's hand. Where was Oliver? Why had he left? He had to be there… He wouldn't have left her…or Thea…

"You want these two so badly," Slade said. "I'll kill'em both right now if that's what it's going to take to get rid of you."

Her eyes widened and the panic took over her system as she watched him raise the sword. "It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay," Felicity started quickly as a mantra. She ducked her head and did her best to shield Thea.

"Slade!"

Before Felicity knew what was happening, she was being hauled out of the chalk circle and she was still holding onto Thea. Arms were around her before she realized who it was. The other archer… She hadn't expected that. Even more unexpected than the other archer being there, the fact that they were flying through the air. Felicity held as tight to Thea as she could, especially given that Thea had realized this as well and was freaking out. Felicity felt it was a little sad that she was getting desensitized by this kind of thing. Normally, it was someone she knew and trusted though. That made it a little easier.

When they finally stopped on another rooftop, Felicity looked back. She could see Slade and Isabel/Talia fighting with not only Oliver as the Arrow, but also Sara as the Canary. She assumed that Roy and Diggle were nearby as well.

"We have to go!"

"They need help!" Felicity said as she looked back to see that the other archer had removed the mask covering his face.

Malcolm Merlyn.

"I'm getting you two to safety and that's the end of our discussion," he said.

. . .

TBC…


	5. Daddy Dearest

PRESENT

On their way to wherever Merlyn had taken them, Thea had hit her head. Merlyn hadn't seemed phased at all. Felicity kept checking to make sure that Thea was breathing, even though she was holding her in her arms and she could feel her breathe. She kept thinking that she was imagining it and she had to be sure. She stared down at Thea. It was still so odd to think of her as a sister, even if she was technically her half sister…

"That blonde hair…it threw me at first…"

Felicity ignored him. She didn't care what he had to say. Nothing was going to change the fact that he'd left Oliver, Sara, Roy, and Diggle to not only face Slade but Isabel/Talia… Felicity couldn't be sure how dangerous Isabel/Talia was, but if she was part of the League of Assassins…well, Felicity was surprised that she or Oliver had lived so long… She could have easily killed all three of them on the Russia trip… She shook her head as she tried to get the thoughts out of her head.

"It actually makes you look a little like Moira in the right light," he went on. "I'm sure without the glasses and with the hair down…"

"Thea needs help," she finally spoke up. After a moment, she turned and looked right at him.

"She just hit her head. It'll be bruised and swollen," he said and then irritation filled his voice. "She'll live."

She'll live.

She'll live?!

Felicity would have smacked him if she wasn't so terrified of what he might do. He'd obviously lost it. If he was really such a good father and so concerned about them, then he would have gotten medical attention for Thea, even if it was just to make sure that she was really okay. Felicity was fairly sure that any doctor held with an bow and arrow ready to shoot him would quickly give Thea a once over just to make sure.

"Don't worry though," Merlyn told her. "No one will find us… You and Thea will be safe in here…"

Safe.

This wasn't safe.

"What if Thea's really hurt?" Felicity asked. "She was already knocked out by Slade Wilson… She could have a concussion—"

"Not much you can do about those," Merlyn replied with a smile.

Felicity just stared at him. "She should still be looked at…just in case," she insisted.

"Now, are you being the caring sister?" Merlyn asked her as he tilted his head slightly. "Though you were holding her and keeping her safe when Slade had you both on that roof…did you already know?"

He had been going back and forth since he'd deposited them in the room they were currently in. Merlyn would act totally normal and then like the loving father and then suddenly he would flip out. It was like he was bipolar or something. Maybe he'd just snapped, she didn't know.

"Of course I didn't know…" she whispered. She looked from him and down at Thea.

"Maybe you were trying to mask yourself from me," he said as he reached out and played with a stray piece of her hair. "Dyeing it blonde wasn't enough to do that… I'm actually surprised that you stayed a secret for so long."

Felicity couldn't tell if he was happy about that or if he was just stating it as a fact. "My mother—"

"Oh, I'm pretty sure she knew who I was," Merlyn told her. "She didn't seem to care…"

She looked down at Thea and tried to keep her calm. She hated to think that so much of her life had been kept this secret from her. How would her life had been different if she'd known? If Merlyn had actually claimed her as his? She didn't really think she would have wanted that, but she could have at least been raised with Tommy…and would have grown up knowing Thea… It was different when you knew someone as a child growing up, rather than knowing someone as a sibling as adults.

"Do you really have to be here right now?" she finally asked, her voice breaking against her will. She looked up at him. He seemed amused.

"You're right," Merlyn said. "I have other things to tend to…"

. . .

Felicity had left Thea lying on the ground, but she had kept going back to checking on her to make sure she was okay… Or at least, breathing… She'd been trying to figure out a way out of the room and trying to figure out where they were. She figured that even if she couldn't get out, if she could do SOMETHING, then maybe that would be enough.

"What are you doing?"

Thea's voice caught her by surprise and she turned and was so relieved to see the youngest Queen sitting up, even if her hand was on her head. Felicity left her quest to find a way out for the time being and went to Thea's side. She sat back down on the floor and tried to visually check Thea once again.

"I was trying to find a way out," Felicity finally told her.

"Where are we?"

"I'm pretty sure we're on a boat…or a ship…or we could just be in a building that's right up against the water," Felicity told her. She took a breath and held it as Thea stared at her.

"He said we were—"

"Don't worry about anything right now," Felicity told her. She didn't want Thea to start to worry about things or panicking. They really didn't need that right now. "Help is coming for us—"

"How do you know that? Who has us? Why?" Thea demanded.

Felicity just stared at her for a moment. "Because the Arrow came for us before…"

"That doesn't mean he'll find us now… It's not like we're on a rooftop… Isn't that where he normally hangs out? Rooftops?"

She smiled at Thea's comments. "I guess that makes sense…but he knows to look for us now."

"If he made it out of there—"

Felicity frowned and knew that Thea didn't know that the Arrow was Oliver…but she didn't know if that would help her have any more faith in him. Felicity knew Oliver and she knew that he could make it through impossible things. Oliver was alive and looking for them, she knew that.

He had to be.

"He did," Felicity told her. "I know the Arrow… He's alive. He's looking for us."

"You know the Arrow?" Thea asked slowly and seemed to not believe her.

Felicity shrugged. "Sometimes even masked vigilantes need help from an IT girl turned executive assistant."

"He shot my boyfriend in the leg."

"I'm pretty sure Roy's seemed just fine," Felicity countered with a smile.

Thea smiled back at her. "I guess so." Thea was quiet for a moment. "You really think he's looking for us?"

Nodding, Felicity just hoped that it was enough to keep hope for Thea. "I do. I really do." She was quiet for a long moment. "Plus, Roy and Oliver and your mom…they're all looking for you by now…and all of Starling City Police Department…"

"They're looking for you, too."

Felicity smiled and spoke a little sadly. "I'm not as important as Thea Queen."

. . .

Felicity had no idea how long they'd been in there. There had been periods of silence. More periods of Felicity trying to get out of that room they were in. Thea, for the most part, had just stayed in one spot and talked to her when they were talking. They'd ended up talking about anything…everything…

It was nice, though. Felicity had avoided the sibling topic before and as long as she could, she was going to. Thea really didn't need to think about Malcolm Merlyn as her father. It was bad enough that it was on Felicity's mind that she was in that same boat.

"What if Tommy really is…was my…our brother?" Thea asked.

Felicity turned back to look at Thea. "Then…we lost a chance to know him, well…" she said and paused. "You grew up with him, didn't you? Wasn't he always Oliver's best friend?"

Thea smiled at that. "Yeah Ollie and Tommy were always getting into trouble growing up…"

"At least you have those memories…"

"But you don't," Thea pointed out.

She shrugged. "At least I've met him…I guess that's better than nothing, right?" Felicity was quiet for a moment. She knew that she shouldn't encourage this…if she could keep Thea from really thinking that Merlyn was her father, she knew that that would be for the best. Of course, Merlyn wasn't going to appreciate it. "But…we have no idea if that's true…"

Thea just nodded.

The sound of the heavy metal door being opened brought Felicity's attention around and she moved back to Thea's side. Merlyn appeared in the doorway. He stood there for a minute just staring at them both.

"But you're—" Thea started.

"Little trick I learned," Malcolm told her. "All kinds of useful things you learn when you work with the League of Assassins…"

"That sounds made-up," Felicity commented. She knew it wasn't, but it still didn't sound like a real thing…even though she knew exactly how real it was. The Arrow had had a few too many run-ins with the League of Assassins…and they had already known that Malcolm Merlyn was a member…

"You know it's not," Merlyn said matter of factly as he stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

Thea looked at her, she could see her from the corner of her eye. Felicity just stared at him. "I don't know what you're talking about…" she said evenly. She wanted to protect Thea. Thea really was the most innocent person in all of it. She had no idea what Malcolm Merlyn was really capable or…and she had no idea of the world that she really lived in.

"Right, because your job is executive assistant to CEO of Queen Consolidated," Merlyn said as he paced a bit. "Oliver Queen… I'm sure he keeps you busy at all hours."

"Running QC can be a demanding job," Felicity responded, her eyes never leaving him.

"Why don't you tell Thea about how you already knew that Thea was my daughter?" Merlyn asked as he stopped in place and stared at both of them.

"I didn't know," Felicity lied. She wasn't just going to spill that to Thea. She needed to keep Thea in good spirits. She needed Thea to believe that they were getting out of there. She needed Thea to know that the Queen family was looking for her no matter what. She didn't need Merlyn corrupting that thought.

"Come now," he said in a singsong voice. When she didn't respond, he pulled out a gun and held it at her forehead. Felicity didn't flinch. "Tell her."

"No."

He wasn't going to kill her. She could see it. He knew too much, which she really didn't find helpful. Thea, however was freaking out.

"Please! Stop!" Thea screamed.

But when he turned the gun on Thea, Felicity started to panic. "You won't do it," she whispered.

"How sure are you?" he challenged.

She really couldn't be. In truth, Felicity didn't know anything…nothing personal about this man that was supposed to be her father. Felicity did know that he was capable of a lot of destruction though. "I haven't known for long," Felicity started quietly. "I figured it out. Between Mrs. Queen's testimony at the trial…and—"

"We don't need to hear everything that led you to the correct conclusion!" Merlyn suddenly flipped out. His hands shook and it only made Thea cry more.

"I confronted Mrs. Queen, so she could tell Oliver and—"

"So kind of you!" Merlyn said, this time his voice was pleasant and sweet almost. "But I know Moira and she refused you."

"She did," Felicity replied. She still didn't take her eyes off of him. "She told me that if I told Oliver that he'd hate me," she explained honestly. She could vividly remember her fear now and she suddenly felt stupid for ever being so upset in her life over this man in front of her leaving out of her life.

"But you told Oliver anyways?" Merlyn questioned. He was smiling and seemed a little smug about it. Felicity didn't know why, but she wished that he'd move the gun away from Thea.

"Yes," she whispered.

"How long?"

"Since the press announcement for Mrs. Queen's running for Mayor."

"That was—" Thea started.

Felicity turned to her and cut her off. "You didn't need to know! He was supposed to have been dead! It wouldn't have made a difference!" she told her.

"It might have."

"It wouldn't have," Felicity argued. "Robert Queen and Walter Steele were your fathers…they were the men that loved you and took care of you and—"

"SHUT UP!" Merlyn went crazy and the gun was on her again.

"You know what I told Oliver before I told him?" Felicity asked quietly as she stared at Merlyn, tears streaming down her face. His eyes were so blue and she remembered them she realized then. It didn't make any of it easier, though, or any better. It only made it worse. "I told Oliver that my father abandoned me when I was little and that I didn't want to lose someone I cared about like that…that I loved so much…and…and now I know…that was all some lie…something made up that I told myself when I was little…"

Felicity didn't know if it was his hand or the gun or both that struck her, but she fell to the side. Thea was crying louder now. She took a moment to suck in breath and collect herself. She didn't want Merlyn to win in all of this. She wasn't going to let him think that she was that child anymore. She wasn't. Felicity knew that she wasn't trained by the League of Assassins, but she was stronger…

"Obviously leaving you there only made you weak…" Merlyn told her.

She turned and looked at him again. "The Arrow is coming—"

"The Arrow is dead."

"He's not."

"You would know better than Thea or I, would you?" Merlyn asked as he swung the gun over to Thea again.

Oh no.

No.

NO!

Felicity was now fully panicking. She knew what he was getting at. He was going to push her to tell Thea what was really going on with Oliver, to reveal the secrets that she kept. "Don't. Do. This."

"Tell Thea!" Merlyn told her. "Tell her what you do at night! Tell her the other secrets you keep for Oliver!"

She knew that she had to tell Thea. There was no way that she could know for sure that he wouldn't shoot Thea. Though, Felicity was fairly sure that between the two of them that Merlyn was probably more likely to shoot her. "He kept the secrets for Thea's safety," Felicity told him. "Isn't that why you never told Tommy that you were the Dark Archer?" she asked.

"We're not talking about Tommy!" he snapped.

Felicity knew that that was pushing buttons, but really…it was the same. Things were kept from people in order to keep them safe. "Oliver…he's the Arrow." Her voice was low and quiet and she almost hoped that Thea didn't hear her.

"Oliver…is the Arrow?!" Thea practically yelled.

Felicity looked over at her and she could see that it almost looked like Thea was losing it. At least Thea could calm down, she was fairly sure that Malcolm Merlyn needed psychiatric help and pills. She nodded. "That's how I know he's looking for you…"

"You—you help him…" Thea said and she looked like she was putting pieces together. "And Diggle…"

She knew that Merlyn wasn't going to let her lie. So, she figured that she might as well answer all of Thea's questions and get them out of the way now. "Yes."

"But he's supposed to be helping Roy…"

"He is," Felicity said quietly. "More than you know."

"But— I don't understand…"

"She's been in here pretending to be your friend, pretending to be your sister…" Merlyn said as he moved the gun off of Thea and then started to walk around. "Really, she's been lying…deceiving you… She's just like your mother, keeping secrets from you…"

Oh, crap.

Great.

Just what Felicity wanted, to be compared to Moira Queen…for the second time. It was a good thing that she knew that Merlyn was crazy and she didn't actually have to take him seriously. She knew that Thea wasn't going to trust her now. She might ask her questions, but she wasn't going to trust her.

"Thea—" Felicity started to say as she reached out to touch Thea's arm.

"NO!" Thea responded as she pulled her arm away. She got to her feet and moved to a corner. She turned her back to it and then slid down. Felicity hated to see her so upset, but there was nothing she could do. Thea was all tears and sobs. "Everyone lies! No one tells me the truth!"

"I wasn't lying when I said that the Arrow was coming for you," Felicity told her gently.

"SHUT YOUR—" Merlyn said as he lifted his hand.

Felicity braced herself.

"Stop!"

The voice was unexpected and she looked towards the doorway. She realized that in all the chaos and drama that had been unfolding that she hadn't even noticed or heard the heavy door being moved open. All she could see was a silhouette with all the bright light flooding in from behind the figure.

"Don't touch her!"

. . .

TBC…


	6. Family Discussions

"Felicity is just—"

"She's probably thinking that her father is a madman who doesn't care that he's hitting her…"

Felicity watched back and forth between them. She really didn't know if this was going to help her or Thea or what to expect. So, she just waited. She really had no other choice at this point.

"I love my children! All of them!" Malcolm exclaimed. He seemed confused all of the sudden.

He really had lost it. Felicity turned back towards the figured. She waited to see if this person would do anything else…like maybe let them go. She doubted it, but you never knew unless you knew that person. It wasn't until he took a step into the room that she could make out his face.

There was a collective gasp between the two of them. "Tommy?!" Thea managed to get out before Felicity.

"I told you he wasn't dead!" Malcolm suddenly spat at Felicity, getting right into her face.

She curled inward and tried to move herself away from him the best she could. She prepared for him to hit her again…or worse… But Tommy put his hand on Merlyn's shoulder and he seemed to melt a little. Merlyn was suddenly smiling at her and it only made her feel sick.

"Come on, Dad…" Tommy told Merlyn slowly. He guided Merlyn away from Felicity and towards the door.

"But the girls…"

"Don't worry, I'll make sure that they're okay," Tommy told him. "You go to your room and lay down."

Merlyn looked back at them before nodding slowly and disappearing. Tommy turned back towards them, pulling the door shut. He motioned to two spots. "There are cameras with mics in here…" Tommy told them. "So, he knows what's going on in here…"

"So, no plotting aloud," Felicity mumbled.

"You can let us go," Thea said as she got to her feet and approached him. She threw her arms around him. "Please, Tommy…"

"I can't," he said sadly. "But I can try to make things more comfortable."

Thea stepped back and stared at him. "Why not?" She was obviously confused, but Felicity knew that there had to be an answer. Tommy obviously knew that Merlyn had lost it. There had to be a reason.

"I'm a prisoner too…"

"But you—"

"I cooperate… So, I have more privileges, if you will," he explained. "He's watching us," he told her again as he nodded towards the cameras. "Right now, let me see if I can't switch your room so that you have one with beds…and a bathroom."

. . .

It wasn't just them, Tommy, and Merlyn on the boat. There were men. She supposed that it made sense. Malcolm Merlyn, dead or alive, was rich and there wasn't anything that money couldn't buy in that world. From what she saw, there was a small army on board. She didn't know how she could really hope for Oliver or the rest of the team to get in there and get them. Of course, they could always unleash Roy and maybe he'd just mow them all down…

They had a new room and one that looked like they'd be staying there for some time. Felicity frowned at it, but she was nudged inside along with Thea and Tommy before the door was closed. She could hear the very loud and heavy sound of a lock. The room didn't even look like it belonged on a boat, well minus the lack of a window… She figured that the framed landscape photographs were supposed to make up for that, which is why one hung on each wall. There were two beds and two wardrobes. The small door off to the side, she assumed was to a bathroom. The room was painted a cheery light yellow color and the bedding on both beds were feminine with flowers and pink and purple.

Felicity stayed back as Tommy and Thea moved further into the room. She knew that Thea wasn't too happy with her right now and she needed space, so Felicity would give her space. She also wanted to watch Tommy. So far, he seemed to have been telling the truth. He was back from the dead, though…and that worried her. Had he been given Mirakuru? Had some other scientific miracle happened to bring him back? There were so many questions and not enough answers.

So, she leaned back against the door and just watched them.

"You can come in," Tommy said, noticing her a moment later. "I know you both would rather be going home, but at least this is more comfortable than that empty room. There's a bathroom…beds…clothes in the closets… Dad seems to think that he thought of everything…"

"How long do we have to stay in here?" Thea asked as she sat on the bed. She was terrified, Felicity could hear that clear as day…and she understood. Things were looking grimmer and grimmer even with the better accommodations.

Tommy sat down next to Thea. His voice was calm and even and he talked a little quieter than she'd expected. She wondered if it was because of the cameras that she'd noticed right away. They hadn't even tried to camouflage them. She was certain that if they tried to disable or cover them, there'd be hell to pay though.

"I know that you probably have a hundred questions," Tommy said. "But we can't fight amongst ourselves…"

"Everyone's lied to me," Thea cried.

Felicity didn't think it was going to be easy. Thea was proving her right. So, she just stayed where she was and kept her head down…she just listened. That was all she could really do right now. Thea was safe, which was really her objective. The rescuing would have to come later.

"Thea," Tommy started. He paused and Felicity was sure that he was trying to find the right words. "I understand how upset you must be—"

"Damn right I'm upset! I'm lied to my whole life! I mean, did my father…Robert Queen know? Did he know that I really wasn't HIS daughter? Did Walter? Who else knows?" Thea exploded with questions.

"Does that matter now?"

"I—I mean—"

"Thea, all that really matters right now…should be that you were loved…" He paused. "We can't dwell on the past… We can't."

"Why not?"

"Because it's not going to help us right now."

Felicity was impressed on how calm Tommy was staying even with Thea's outbursts. She didn't know about their childhood, but she knew that Tommy was like a brother to Thea growing up, even though they didn't know they were half siblings. So, Tommy knew how to handle her…or at least that's what Felicity thought.

"Right now, you…me…and Felicity—"

"I can't trust her—"

"You need to push past that—"

"No!"

"Thea!"

"It's okay!" Felicity finally spoke up. She looked up at them. They seemed surprised at her speaking up, well practically yelling… "She doesn't HAVE to trust me," Felicity told Tommy. "But that doesn't mean that we should let Merlyn turn us against one another."

Thea just seemed more irritated and turned away from her.

"She's right," Tommy said.

Felicity sighed. She slid down the door and just sat there on the ground. This was going to be a really long incarceration if this was how it was going to be. It was also going to be really awkward sharing a room with Thea if she wasn't going to even talk to her. Felicity could take it though.

She just had to keep Thea safe.

Oliver was coming.

She knew he was.

"How are you?" Tommy asked as he moved from where he'd sat on the bed with Thea towards Felicity.

She looked up at him. It still felt so weird to see him there and alive…and now to know that he was her brother. "Hanging in there…" she whispered. And then Tommy was sitting down next to her. She knew that she still had to be careful, maybe this wasn't really Tommy? What if it was a trick? Either way, she had to cautious... "Can I ask you something?" she finally said, looking right at him.

He smiled. "Sure."

"You were dead. Oliver…he was devastated…he left you knowing that you were dead…you died in his arms—"

"I remember, I remember."

"You died in his arms?"

They both looked over to see that Thea was now interested in their conversation. Felicity hoped that maybe Thea would understand why Oliver kept secrets and maybe even understand what had been going on with her brother for the past year or so… "Oliver went to CNRI that night—"

"He went to do the same thing I did," Tommy said. Both Felicity and Tommy were now looking at Thea. "To save Laurel… I got there first," Tommy said and he smiled. "Her being alive was all that I cared about…and—"

"You didn't make it," Thea finished.

"The building collapsed on top of me," Tommy said. "But Oliver…he showed up…as the Hood…or the Arrow…whatever he's going by…"

"It's the Arrow now," Felicity confirmed with a small smile.

"He tried to save me, but he couldn't… I said horrible things to him after I discovered he was the Arrow…" Tommy told her. "I said things that a friend shouldn't say…but he's changed…so, maybe it wasn't all as horrible as I thought…"

"The Arrow shot Roy," Thea said.

"And Roy's fine because of the Mirakuru in his system," Felicity replied with some frustration and then realized that she just opened a new can of questions from Thea. Great. Good job, she thought to herself.

"What?"

"Just…nevermind right now, it's not important," Felicity said.

"The last thing I remember," Tommy said, speaking again. He looked between them, Felicity figured that it was because he was waiting to make sure they weren't going to argue or go on with the Roy conversation. "Was dying in Oliver's arms…and then waking up on this boat…"

"So, we are on a boat," she whispered to herself.

Tommy nodded. "But my dad…he showed me footage… He brought me back…somehow… I heard him use the term Lazarus…but I don't know what that's connected to…" He shook his head. "There's video from six months ago, apparently when I was first brought back… I had to be locked in a padded room for four months. I was stark raving mad…" He was quiet. "I don't remember any of it."

"So…what? You just woke up one day and was sane?" Felicity questioned.

Tommy shrugged. "I guess so?"

"Can you punch a hole in a wall by any chance?"

"Is this wall made out of paper?"

Felicity smiled. "No." So, it wasn't Mirakuru… She was fairly sure that if Roy hadn't learned that much about self restraint by now that there was no way that Tommy would have learned it in two months… There was just no way.

"Oliver can't come for us," Tommy said.

"What are you talking about?" Felicity asked before Thea could say anything. "Oliver isn't just going to stand around while Thea is out here…"

"And what about you?"

"He knows I'm with Thea—"

"But you act like you mean nothing."

"I feel like your sister comes as a higher priority on your list over your friend," Felicity told him.

"Are you and Oliver really just friends?"

Felicity just stared at him for a long moment and then wondered if Tommy could be working with Merlyn. Was he just there to get information out of them? Was this really some kind of 'good cop/bad cop' routine? If it was, she really didn't like it. "Yes," she replied.

There was silence between all three of them for a long while. Thea was the one who broke the silence. "Why did you keep the secret?"

She knew which secret Thea meant. Felicity tilted her head. "It wasn't my secret to tell."

"But if you could do it over again, knowing that we'd end up here—"

"I still wouldn't have told you," Felicity told her. "I told Oliver because I knew it might come up again…that we might need to keep you safe if those secrets came out." She paused for a moment. "I knew that Merlyn was dead…or was supposed to be dead… If both Malcolm Merlyn and Tommy were dead, then really…your mother and Oliver were the only family you had. Walter's still around, he's still family. Why take that away from you?" Felicity pulled her legs up to her chest. "I'm sure that's what Oliver and probably even your mother thought… I mean, believe me, I don't even try to understand what your mother thinks…but I think that's why Oliver didn't do it. To protect you. To keep you from going into some dark shadow and forgetting that you have a life right now…"

"But it's all a lie," Thea told her.

"I know," Felicity said. "But sometimes we have to deal with those lies the best we can. It might not always be the right choice, but sometimes it's just the better one…"

"Felicity's right," Tommy spoke up.

"Why do you take her side?" Thea complained.

Felicity sighed. She knew that this wasn't going to be easy. Felicity was still dealing with coping with it herself. "Look, why don't we just try to focus on what we have to do now."

"We can't do anything," Tommy reminded.

"Oliver's going to come for us."

"There's an army on this boat… My dad, he might be crazy, but he can still aim…and he doesn't miss…"

Felicity ran her hands down her face. "The last time they faced off, your dad almost killed Oliver…"

"So, we have to keep Oliver from looking for us."

Felicity looked at Thea and then Tommy. "But if Oliver—"

"He'll be safe," Tommy told her.

"But then we'll be stuck here," Thea brought up. "You're saying…you want Oliver to stop looking for us? That we'll have to stay in this room forever?!"

Thea was panicking and rightly so. Felicity's mind was racing as she thought it over. "The only way that Oliver would stop looking was if he thought—" No. Felicity could see it in Tommy's face, that was exactly what he was saying. She didn't want to believe that that was their only option. "There has to be another way…"

"What?" Thea asked.

Felicity turned to Thea. She had to know. She had to understand. This didn't just affect Felicity, but Thea also. "He wants Oliver to think we're dead…so he won't come looking for us…so he won't die…"

"But—"

"It's the best way, Thea," Tommy insisted.

"I can't—"

She could see that Thea was battling with that. Felicity still thought that there had to be a way. There had to be a way. "Maybe we could convince Merlyn to let Thea and I send him a letter…or call him or…a video…" Her voice broke and she had to pause to try to regain her composure. "If we said—"

"You know that won't work," Tommy told her.

It was an impossible choice.

They still had to make it.

"Thea?" Felicity asked.

"I—I—I just don't know," Thea finally blurted out.

"We have some time," Tommy told her.

"Not a lot," Felicity said quietly to herself. She covered her face with her hands and just thought about it. How did they make that decision? She knew what Oliver would think if he ever found out…if they ever saw him again… He would have rather given his life so that they could have been free.

. . .

"I need to know!"

Felicity was just thankful that so far there was no gun. She didn't know if she could be strong and handle a gun being held at her head or Thea's. She took some solace from that. So far, Merlyn had only been interested in her. Felicity had a feeling that it was because she was the one who knew the most about Oliver and the Arrow.

Right now, it was good that Thea knew nothing.

Tommy was gone.

"I don't know," Felicity told him.

"You're lying!" he bellowed.

And she was.

She had to.

Right now, no one's life was imminent danger and she still could keep Oliver safe. Really, it wasn't just Oliver she was keeping safe…it was Diggle, Roy, and Sara too. All of them. Everything that they'd built…

"Tell me what I need to know!" Merlyn yelled at her. He grabbed her shoulders and Felicity tried to fight back. He shook her. "You're an insolent child! I thought I taught you to listen! To tell the truth! To—"

"You're. Not. My. Father."

He shook her hard and then threw her against the wall without furniture on it. Thea was screaming, Felicity could hear that but she didn't know what she was saying. She was focusing too much on not giving up or in… She couldn't. Felicity kept picturing Oliver and Diggle. She was going to hug them both when she got back…and maybe even Sara and Roy. No matter what Malcolm Merlyn said…or what a DNA or blood test could prove…they were her family.

"You're going to talk!" Merlyn shouted at her. He looked like he was going to explode.

"Please stop!" Thea yelled.

Suddenly, his demeanor changed. He seemed to be upset himself. "Don't worry, Thea… I'm going to keep us safe," he said quietly. "Her lies and secrets aren't going to hurt our family…"

Felicity could see her. Thea's face was red and running with tears. Thea was safe though. Merlyn hadn't touched her or bothered her. She looked back to Merlyn, who was now looking back to her. "I'm not going to tell you anything," Felicity told him quietly and with finality in her voice.

Apparently he wasn't going to argue or at least not in front of Thea. Merlyn hauled her up to her feet; he was a lot stronger than she'd anticipated. She didn't know why she had underestimated him; maybe it was because he was crazy… Whatever the reason, that didn't matter right now, Merlyn was hauling her out of the room and that meant that Thea would be alone…and that Felicity wouldn't be there to make sure that she was okay…that she was safe.

"Stop!" Felicity said as she tried to fight him. He dropped her for a slight moment, as he was half carrying her, but he quickly got a hold on her again and had her out of the room before there was anymore arguing.

"You're going to learn…"

. . .

TBC…


	7. Obey or Else

"You've been working for Oliver since he got back from the island, haven't you?"

Felicity just sat there. Merlyn had her tied to a chair and so far, she'd been successfully ignoring all of his questions. The room she was in was bare and it was possible that it could have been the room she and Thea had been in originally. All she knew was that it was just her and Merlyn and he seemed to be wearing a hole into the floor. Question after question…Felicity just sat there quietly.

"How did he recruit you?"

Silence.

His voice suddenly escalated to full on yelling and with how close he leaned to her, she actually thought about it affecting her hearing for a moment. "How did he recruit you?!"

She closed her eyes and moved her head as far away from him as she could, but she didn't answer.

"You think you're being smart?" Merlyn asked, suddenly calm. He went and opened the door and peeked out into the hall. "Bring me a chair." He stood by the open door waiting and within a couple of minutes, he was handed a sturdy chair. He placed it a few feet from her and sat down. "I'm sure that you're upset with me," he said and his voice suddenly was so full of concern. "I mean, I know that you're surprised…shocked…by finding out that I'm your father…and of course, you still don't have hard proof. You're one who I think appreciates the hard scientific proof…" He shrugged. "I could supply it, but I don't think you'd believe it was real. You'd think I doctored it."

He was right.

He was absolutely right.

She just stared at him for a few minutes. "What do you want?" she asked quietly and calmly.

"Answers."

"I can't give them."

"Felicity, like it or not, you're my daughter… I do have proof…" Merlyn told her. He reached into his suit jacket and pulled out photographs. It was obvious that they were older the instant she saw them because they didn't appear to be standard size and they had signs of wearing even from where she was sitting. "I have pictures with all of you… Obviously, we all know Tommy is mine…and Thea, well, you found that out… Smart girl."

Felicity just waited.

He showed her a picture of him with Tommy and his mother. Tommy looked about the right age for it to be from right before Tommy's mother died…and Merlyn left. The next picture made her feel like she was going to pass out. It was a picture of them together and her mother. It was right before he left, she remembered that. He'd bought her a yellow dress…it was just a sundress, but it had a full skirt and she remembered thinking it was as pretty as Belle's dress from 'Beauty and the Beast'. He turned around a picture of him with Thea and Moira. He held them all together, side by side.

"Your hair was a different color then…I think you looked more like Tommy and Thea with it that color…and me."

Panic was rising inside of her. Why did he have to make it so much more real? "You left…right after that picture was taken," she finally said. Her voice broke here and there, but she managed to get it out. She realized as she stared at the pictures that she remembered her mother going through the house and taking all of the pictures with him in it. She remembered crying and begging her to stop. She either burned them or cut him out of them.

"That's right."

"I cried…for days…" Felicity admitted. "Last week, I could have told you that that was one of the worst days in my life…"

"Now it's not?"

"Well, you holding me hostage…and hurting me…"

"I LOVE you!" he yelled at her as he leaned forward in the chair.

"You've hurt me!"

"Felicity, I want us to be a family… I do. Tommy and Thea know that. They've cooperated… I'm asking you to do the same. I need to know things…about Oliver Queen and about Queen Consolidated… You're going to be a good girl, like this little girl…" he said as he held up only her picture.

Felicity shook her head, the tears still flooding her face. She was so angry at him. She knew that he had to have lost it, but at this moment, that didn't excuse anything in her mind. "I'm not that little girl anymore…"

"You are!"

"You killed her," she said sadly. "After that, I didn't watch anymore princess movies…and I didn't dress up or play princess… Mom blamed me at one point for your leaving—"

"It wasn't your fault… Later, when I was better, I just hoped that you thought that something had happened to me…"

Felicity shook her head. "That doesn't make it better!"

"It wasn't your fault!"

"I. WAS. FOUR."

Merlyn just stared at her for a very long time. They were just quiet and Felicity eventually calmed down enough to stop crying. The crying wasn't helping, it wasn't like he actually cared if he was hurting her…or upsetting her. She knew that. She was just hoping that maybe he'd feel guilt over leaving her.

"You need to answer my questions," Merlyn finally said. His tone was even and quiet and calm.

"No," she responded simply, her eyes not leaving his.

"There will be consequences for your choices," Merlyn warned. "I thought I'd taught you to obey me when you were little… I know you're smart. I've looked into everything you've accomplished," he said. "I couldn't be prouder…" He paused. "But I need these answers, Felicity… Be a good girl for Daddy…"

Silence.

"When did Oliver recruit you?"

"I applied to Queen Consolidated before Oliver even returned from the island," she said. Felicity knew that that wasn't what he was asking, but at least she was saying something.

"When did he recruit you for his night activities…as the Hood?"

"He goes by the Arrow now."

"Felicity…"

"I told you, I'm not going to help you… I won't help you," Felicity told him. "You want me to help you so that you can hurt him… I won't do it."

"Your loyalty should be to ME!" he yelled at her as he got up from his chair.

"I'm being loyal to myself."

Merlyn just eyed her as he started to pace again. He suddenly stopped and drug the chair from the room. The door shut and Felicity hoped that he was going to just leave her there. He was gone for a long time…so long that she was convinced that he wasn't coming back for her.

He came back.

He wasn't empty handed either. He came back with a whole crate of supplies. "You're making me do this, Felicity…" he told her as he set the crate down right next to her chair. With her hands tied behind her and to the chair and her feet tied together and secured to the chair, there just wasn't much she could do, but look at what he brought.

The first thing he pulled out was a length of rope. He tied her tighter to the chair. It was made of metal with a high back and the back of it ended just a pinch above her shoulders. So, when he started to wrap the rope around her upper arms at nearly her shoulders, she knew she wasn't going to be able to move and she wasn't going to like what he had planned.

"What are you doing?" she asked him. The rope was even tight enough to make it difficult to breathe. Not too much, but just enough.

"You won't answer my questions," Merlyn told her. "I'm going to have to force you to answer my questions."

"Why?"

"It's for our family."

Felicity didn't understand his response. It didn't make any sense to her. All she knew was that he could try, but she wasn't going to give up anything and she wasn't going to endanger Oliver or the rest of the team. She had to keep them safe…just as she'd worked to keep Thea safe.

"I am sorry about this," Merlyn said as he pulled out a cloth pillowcase. He shook it open and then was covering her head with it.

"What—stop!" Felicity shouted. She didn't know if this was a scare tactic or what…but she didn't like it. It was bad enough that she was separated from the others; she didn't need to be isolated in this way. He'd tied her up; it wasn't like she could go anywhere.

"You're making me do this," Merlyn said and he sounded honestly sad about it.

"There has to be another way," Felicity said as she shook her head back and forth in an effort to dislodge the pillowslip. It moved, but not in the way she wanted it to.

"There was…you chose this."

In a way, he was right. This wasn't what she wanted though. She thought that he might hit her or throw her around the room or yell…but not whatever he was up to. She listened closely now, since she didn't have the advantage of seeing what was happening.

She didn't hear anything for some time. Not even his movements.

Suddenly, the chair was being pulled backwards. Felicity struggled to try to keep it from happening, but it really wasn't much use. She couldn't use the weight of her upper body at all, so the chair continued to move backwards. She could move her head, but that was pretty much it.

Was he going to kill her?

Felicity forced herself not to panic. Would he do that? She was his daughter. Would he kill his own child? She realized that technically he'd killed Tommy the first time, but it wasn't intentional…she really wasn't sure if that was making her any more confident in what was going on.

The chair was now resting against the floor and she just relaxed her head back against the floor as well. He was moving, she could hear him. He was on her right side and she assumed that he was going through the crate.

"What are you going to do?" she asked, trying to keep fear and panic out of her voice.

"Getting answers."

"Oliver's a good man," Felicity told him. "You know he's the Arrow…he hasn't been killing…not anymore—"

"That's a lie!"

Felicity was quiet. "He killed Count Vertigo," she finally responded. "In order to protect me…he was going to kill me…" She wanted to ask him where he was then, but she knew that she really had to be a bit more careful about making things worse for her.

"That doesn't make him a good man," Merlyn told her. "Though I'm not saying that I don't approve of his actions…or what he's willing to do… I've always thought of Oliver like a son…"

"Then why all the questions about him?"

"I need to know about Oliver… Secrets… About Queen Consolidated…"

"They're not my secrets to tell."

"But you know them."

"Some…maybe…"

The truth was, Oliver had never been completely honest with them. She knew that. Felicity just hoped that Merlyn realized that. They got pieces here and there. Even though she felt like she knew Oliver, he was always surprising her with new things that had happened during those five years on Lian Yu. She wasn't entirely sure that he'd ever give up everything that had happened, but at least he was letting them in… She wouldn't give that away to Merlyn, even if he liked Oliver…and even if he was her father.

"Oliver doesn't tell me everything."

"I think that he talks to you quite a bit," Merlyn replied. "So, one last time… How did he recruit you?"

"He didn't," she responded and in part, that was true. Felicity wasn't sure if you could really count him crawling into the back of her vehicle after being shot and then revealing himself and asking for help to save his life…recruitment. It wasn't exactly a choice. Sure, she had one later…but who would really give up after knowing that secret?

Water hit her face. It soaked the cloth over her mouth and nose and she suddenly struggled to be able to breathe. She closed her mouth after choking on the water going in her mouth, but the water still went into her nostrils. Felicity's thrashed around her head and for a moment, the water stopped. She opened her mouth and sucked in air and shook her head more to try to dislodge any water in or around her nose. She thought he'd decided that he'd made his point, but the moment she breathed in again, he was pouring the water again. She closed her mouth, but it still flooded to her nose. She had to open her mouth and then water started to choke her again. She felt like she was drowning. Felicity thrashed around. Her lungs were starting to burn and the struggling against the ropes around her chest wasn't helping anything either.

He stopped again and she screamed out. "Stop! Stop! Please!"

"Tell me what I want to know," Merlyn told her calmly.

"I'm your daughter!" Felicity told him. She hated that she'd just said that out loud for various reasons. "You're trying to drown your OWN daughter!"

"I'm trying to teach you!" he countered.

He really was screwed up, she thought. Felicity wasn't sure if Tommy could save her from Merlyn right now. How was she going to get out of this? She didn't want to give up what she knew. It wasn't just this he wanted to know; he'd asked other questions…questions that would endanger Oliver and the others. She wouldn't do that. She couldn't betray them. They were her family. Her real, true family. They weren't perfect, but they were still hers.

"You're going to kill me!" she spat.

Felicity figured that he took that as a cue because he was pouring water on her again. Even with her face to the side, he seemed to be able to pour it just at the right angle that it still managed to make her choke and feel like she was drowning. The struggling and flailing didn't even help. Did he really want to teach her a lesson? Or was it something else? Did he even care if he hurt her? Did he care if he killed her? She was fairly sure that this was considered a type of torture…something terrorists did… She knew that Merlyn had disappeared for a time after Tommy's mother's death and during that time had trained with the League of Assassins…he obviously learned this somewhere…

This time, he wasn't stopping and she felt like she was really going to drown. Her lungs hurt and she felt like she was going to vomit. Felicity tried to shake the water out of her nose and mouth and instead started to really gag on it, without notice, the chair was thrown upward and tilted forward until settling back into its original position. Felicity found herself throwing up and then pushing as much water out of her mouth and nose and lungs as she could.

He was going to kill her.

"You're stubborn! That's not a good thing!" Merlyn screamed.

He was pouring water over the top of her, but she could tuck her chin in at least. Felicity closed her eyes and wanted to scream so badly, though she had a feeling that that he'd enjoy that too much. Merlyn didn't seem to be having a problem with hurting her or seeing her suffer. She bit her lip in order to stay quiet. The sobs bubbled up whether she liked it or not… He pulled the pillowslip off of her head and more water was being poured over her. Felicity didn't know if this was another part of his plan or if he was simply trying to wash her clean of the vomit. All she knew was that she just wanted him to stop…and she wanted to be untied so she could breathe. Panic was setting in once again and she couldn't concentrate on anything else to distract herself…

After a few minutes of sobbing and the anxiety tightening her chest, she started to gasp for breath. She couldn't breathe. Her lungs burned with every breath…and the ropes tightened against them…plus the pressure from the anxiety. She just couldn't take it and Felicity couldn't get enough air in.

"What—What's wrong?" Merlyn asked with concern.

Felicity tried to force out that she couldn't breathe, but she couldn't. Her mouth just hung open and then she tried to suck in breath again. It didn't work.

Apparently he had a knife because he pulled it out from somewhere and was cutting the ropes that held her in place. "Breathe," he coached.

It wasn't that easy though. Felicity's stress level was through the roof and she was terrified that he'd start up again. She knew that she wouldn't be able to last through another round. She just couldn't… Now she was soaking wet and cold and unable to breathe…

She was going to die there.

Once all the bounds were cut, she fell from her chair and onto the floor. It took a beat, but she managed to suck in air. Tears still fell from her eyes as she slowly filled her lungs with the precious air.

What was she going to do?

"I just wanted to teach you a lesson," Merlyn said as he sat down next to her. Her back was to him and she was glad that she didn't have to stare at him. She was just barely hanging on. He was calm and…normal, if you could call him normal. "You need to listen to me, Felicity. You always were Daddy's little girl when you were younger… You would have never thought to cross me then."

Felicity just closed her eyes, the tears were still coming, and the sobs had renewed. Her chest still hurt, but she was breathing. That was the main thing. She was alive. At least for now. He started to sing and she wasn't really paying attention to the song, she couldn't place it. It was haunting and beautiful…and sad… Eventually, she just couldn't cry anymore and she just lay there…utterly exhausted both mentally and physically.

Malcolm's song hit her ears and she could actually comprehend the words. So, she just lay there listening and hoping for the blackness of unconsciousness to take her.

"Is this home?

Am I here for a day or forever?

Shut away

From the world until who knows when

Oh, but then

As my life has been altered once

It can change again

Build higher walls around me

Change ev'ry lock and key

Nothing lasts, nothing holds

All of me

My heart's far, far away

Home and free!"

. . .

She remembered his singing, but she didn't remember passing out. Felicity knew that she must have, she'd even wished for it, but she had no conscious memory of it. Her lungs burned, her chest ached, her eyes stung, and tears fell from her eyes on their own accord as the memories of what Malcolm Merlyn had done to her flooded back in a heap. They hit her hard and Felicity just hadn't been prepared for it. Felicity didn't know if she could endure any more. She didn't think she was strong enough…willed or physically.

Merlyn already knew a lot about Queen Consolidated and Oliver, so Felicity KNEW that keeping secrets wasn't the smartest… Felicity just didn't want to betray Oliver or the others. She didn't want to be the reason or the cause to someone getting hurt…or worse.

Her eyes searched for any light, but there wasn't any. Felicity stretched out a little and found she couldn't move far from the fetal position she'd fallen asleep in. She was cold and wet and she didn't realize it until she was running her hands along the surface of whatever she was in that she was shaking and shivering. Felicity closed her eyes and tried to push away the panic. She'd never been one to be afraid of small cramped spaces, but she'd never had a reason to before.

"Hello?!" she called out.

No answer.

The only sound she could hear was the water. Felicity was trying to stay calm, but panic was rising in her chest and making it hard to breathe. She pounded and kicked on the walls of whatever she was in. She could feel small holes along each side, which was likely keeping her from suffocating. At least she hoped that's why they were there.

"Please!" she screamed and was on the verge of sobbing. Was he just going to leave her there? Was this supposed to be part of her punishment? Did he think that she'd learn to obey him? Or was he just trying to break down her will?

Thea.

Tommy.

She tried to focus on them for a minute. She wondered if they were okay. Felicity felt a little guilty for not being there to make sure that Thea was safe. In all honesty, though, she didn't see Merlyn doing what he was doing to her to Thea. Merlyn wanted information and Thea had none of it. The only information that Thea had was on Verdant. Merlyn didn't need any of that. Thea Queen, even though she'd had her out of control years, she really was an innocent. Even at nineteen, Thea was still a little girl afraid of things. Felicity just hoped Merlyn continued to see that…and that Tommy kept Thea safe when Felicity couldn't.

Her fingers and toes were starting to feel numb. Felicity tried to move them in order to warm them, but it really wasn't working well. It was really only reminding her that she was somewhere dark and confining. Panic was starting to hit her again. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to concentrate on something else.

Oliver.

Diggle.

Sara.

Roy.

Were they okay? What had happened? Had everyone made it out? Did they KNOW that Isabel was Talia al Ghul? What about Queen Consolidated? Was Oliver doing what he needed to do on that front? Was he protecting things?

It was hard to think that Team Arrow had more than just Slade Wilson to worry about, especially because she didn't know if Sara had told the team about Isabel or if she'd shown her face. It was weighing on her so heavily that she had no idea if they knew about Isabel or not. She'd never been a fan of Isabel Rochev, except when it came to the company's numbers, but as a person? No, Felicity had never liked her… Felicity was fairly sure that Isabel didn't like her either.

Felicity wanted so much for them to all be okay… They were her family…especially Oliver and Diggle. They'd been through a lot together and her life had changed so much because of it. As hard as it was for her to think about it, she didn't want any of them to die…but she didn't want to live or die in the nightmare she was in at the moment. If Merlyn decided that they needed to talk again like they had before, then she wasn't going to be able to hold back. She'd have to tell him everything and just hope that Merlyn didn't hurt the family that she loved and held so dear.

She suddenly just started to think of what Merlyn did the last time he and Oliver went up against each other…and what Oliver had to do in order to stop him. If they had been normal people, they both would have been dead for sure. Felicity couldn't stop the panic or the fear. She needed to get out. She needed to do SOMETHING. Felicity knew that there had to be something she could do on that boat. There had to be a way that she could help them…to keep them alive.

"Please! Let me out!" she screamed out at the top of her lungs as she started to hit and smack and kick at her confines with all her will and strength. It wasn't much, but she just hoped that someone would come for her. She had to get out of there. She had to! She couldn't handle it anymore.

Eventually though, she was too tired. She couldn't scream and she could kick or hit. She just eventually lulled herself into unconsciousness and just hoped that she woke up somewhere else.

. . .

It smelled like hamburgers and barbeque.

The sun was high over their heads.

A little girl in a yellow sundress spun around her backyard with an imaginary partner. She hummed the tune to a song that seemed so familiar. She studied the little girl, she had bright blue eyes and brown hair that was pulled back and up into a bun.

Felicity just watched from the backdoor of the house. It was odd. Familiar and yet so foreign and odd to her. Felicity didn't understand or know why. She just felt like she was stuck there and couldn't move.

"Look at the princess!"

She looked over and that's when she realized that this was all just a dream. Malcolm Merlyn, the man that she thought was a different person, came out of the house and towards her…little her. He was carrying a large plate and a pair of barbeque tongs. He looked so happy and content. It was all a lie though. She knew that now.

"Daddy!" younger Felicity complained. "Belle isn't a princess YET!"

"Oh?"

"Not until she marries the prince…"

"Smart girl," Merlyn told her as he went to tend to the barbeque.

Felicity didn't know what was worse. Watching the whole thing and knowing that it was all a lie…or knowing how broken her little heart would be soon enough. Merlyn would disappear without any notice or rhyme or reason to them…and she'd have her heart broken into a million pieces. She knew that four was a young age to remember such a thing, but it had been hard on her. She remembered crying at the window and praying to whoever would listen to bring her daddy home to her.

He never came.

"Tale as old as time…" he sang from the barbeque. Occasionally, he'd look back at younger Felicity to watch her as she danced. He seemed so happy, proud even.

Felicity didn't know how someone could keep a secret like this. It was one thing to be like Oliver, where he had a secret life as the Arrow, but quite another to have a whole other family… As she stood there, watching, unable to wake up…she realized that really Merlyn had had three families all along…even if he didn't fully participate in them. He'd been there for Tommy most, and he'd been there in so many ways for Thea because of his friendship with Robert Queen, and he'd been there with her until she was four… But how could he really do that? He said he cared about them now, but did he even care about them then? Had he thought about how his actions could affect anyone else in the future?

She doubted it.

It was just like she remembered.

"True as it can be," he continued to sing. "Barely even friends…then somebody bends…unexpectedly…"

It was odd watching it from the sidelines. Her mother came out and brought Merlyn a large glass of water, kissed his cheek, and then went back inside. She seemed so happy… Felicity had almost forgotten what it looked like when her mother smiled… It had been so long.

Too long.

"Just a little change," Merlyn sang. "Small to say the least…both a little scared…neither one prepared…Beauty and the beast…"

She was about to turn to watch her mother inside. Felicity missed seeing her smile like that and in general, being happy. Her attention was pulled back to Merlyn as he neared her younger self.

"Ever just the same," he sang as he took younger Felicity's hand and started to dance with her around the yard. "Ever a surprise…ever as before…ever just as sure…as the sun will rise…"

Felicity remembered this and it felt like just yesterday that he disappeared as she watched them dance. She used to love dancing around the yard or the house with her dad. She remembered that. He'd say that she was his little princess and that she deserved everything. This wasn't the father who had come back into her life as an adult.

"Tale as old as time," Merlyn continued as he twirled her out. He reached out his hand to pick up the glass of water and drank it while trying to dance. "Tune as old as song…bittersweet and strange…finding you can change…learning you were wrong…"

Then it all changed.

The sunny sky turned dark and ran started to fall. Felicity cringed and then watched as Merlyn held back her younger self's face as he poured the remainder of the water in the glass over her face. She screamed and choked and flailed…and nothing happened.

Then it just went black.

. . .

TBC…


	8. Taking Care of Family

The noise was what woke her…she wasn't sure if what she had been in, she would consider sleep exactly…but she had been unconscious. It sounded like metal shifting around. Groaning and moaning. Scraping and screaming as the metal clashed against each other. Felicity wasn't sure what it was, but she hoped that it didn't mean that Merlyn was coming for her.

Light pierced the dark confines of whatever she was wedged inside of, just a sliver at first and then more and more. She turned away, closing her eyes, not used to the bright. Felicity squinted her eyes to try to see what was going on and could see a figure looming over her, hands coming at her.

"Please! Don't hurt me!" she cried out.

The hands immediately retracted. A voice replaced them instead. Soft, gentle, and full of concern. "Felicity, it's okay… You're safe…" It wasn't the voice that she'd been expecting.

She didn't know what to say, she just started to cry. Felicity slowly raised her arm up and out of the box. It felt amazing to even be able to move that far. She also realized how much her body hurt from being confined to a box.

"I've got you," he said. He was careful and cautious. Her body cried out as it stretched out fully. He held her in his arms and Felicity leaned into him. He lifted her and slowly carried her out of that room. Her eyes closed as she knew that she just had to trust him…she could trust him. "You're safe with me."

. . .

"She's going to be okay, right?"

"I think so."

"What did he do to her?"

"I don't know for sure… All I know was that he had her locked in a box when I got to her…"

"She's so cold…"

"If she doesn't wake up soon, we'll run a bath and try to warm her up that way."

"Are you supposed to do that?"

"I have no idea."

"Usually, people are always stripping down and huddling together."

"That would be really awkward."

Felicity found herself smiling. Slowly, she opened her eyes. "Awkward…'s right…" she slurred.

"We're here, you're safe," Tommy told her.

And they were.

Both of them.

He and Thea were right there at her bedside. She was on a bed… She'd missed such a simple and taken for granted thing as a bed. She really smiled at them. Felicity blinked for a moment, she realized that somewhere along the way…she'd lost her glasses and she didn't even know when. They were probably broken, she figured, even if they were found. So, the world would just be a little fuzzy.

"I'm cold…"

"Your bed is probably going to be wet, but there's a fresh change of bedding already here…so I figured I'd change it while you showered," Tommy told her.

"What happened to you? What did he do?" Thea asked.

Felicity wanted to tell them, but at the same time…she didn't want to freak out Thea anymore. She didn't need to have that put on Thea. "He was asking me questions…about Oliver…and Queen Consolidated…"

"Why?"

"I don't know…" Felicity said. She started to shiver uncontrollably, it was like her body and mind had just synced up and realized that she really was cold. "Maybe I should take a shower," she managed to get out.

"I'm going to grab you some clothes," Thea said as she got to her feet and moved away from the bed.

Felicity tried to sit up, but it was painful. She groaned and found herself only halfway to actually sitting completely up. "How long was I gone?" she asked as she turned to Tommy, still at her bedside.

"I don't know…" Tommy shook his head. "I don't even know how long it's been since you and Thea arrived…"

What she wouldn't give for a window or a digital clock with a date on it. Tommy helped her up to a sitting position and then to her feet. He held her steady and she realized the room had been moved around a little. There was an extra bed. "Are you staying in here now?" she asked as he helped her towards the bathroom.

"I wanted to make sure Thea was okay…" he told her and looked right at her. "You too… I thought he'd bring you back right away…when he didn't…and then I could hear you screaming from my room—"

"Thea?"

Tommy shook his head. "What did he do to you?"

"Doesn't matter—"

"Felicity, you don't have to do this…carry that weight all by yourself," Tommy explained. "Please…tell me…"

Felicity closed her eyes as he stopped them right outside of the bathroom. When the sound of the shower caught her attention. She hadn't thought about it before… All she'd thought about was a shower would be a quick way to warm up, she hadn't thought about the water…and how it would be falling down on her…

"I can't—I can't—" she told him as she started to take steps backwards on her own.

"Felicity…" Tommy said and caught her as she fell backwards before she could get far. He held her tight. "Was he putting your head under water?"

She supposed that that was fairly close… She knew that she was soaking wet and cold and obviously not thrilled about the shower, so he had to figure out some solution. "Sortive…" Felicity finally spoke up.

"You still have to get warmed up."

"I know," she said and swallowed hard. "I'll—I'll figure it out…" she whispered. Felicity knew that she had to if she was going to get around telling Thea the truth. She just wished that the bathroom had a shower/tub combo. She was fairly sure that she could have just sat in the tub.

"You don't have to—"

Thea came out and looked at them. "Are you going to be okay? I can sit in there with you," Thea offered.

"Thank you, Thea," she said, trying to keep calm. "I think I'll be fine once I'm in there…but I'll shout if I need you." Thea seemed to accept her response, which was good. Felicity didn't know if she could take it if Thea had pushed. She let go of Tommy and pushed his hands away. "I think I have it from here…"

"You sure?" he asked and she could see the concern in his face.

"I just need to get warmed up."

"I pulled out two towels…and pajamas are already in there," Thea told her. "If I forgot anything…just call and I'll make sure you have it."

Felicity nodded. She noticed that Thea looked even more worried. "Thank you, Thea…" She still seemed off. Felicity didn't like that. "What's wrong?"

Thea sniffled. "I didn't…I didn't mean to be mean to you before…" Thea broke down right then and Tommy had her before Felicity could even take a step towards her. "We thought—I thought…when he didn't bring you back," Thea got out. "I thought he'd killed you…"

Felicity painfully made her way towards Thea. When she was close enough, she reached out and touched her arm. "I'm here. I'm okay. Oliver is going to come for us."

"She's right," Tommy spoke up. "Oliver's looking for you both."

"He'd look for you if he knew," Thea told him.

"I know," he said with a smile. He put his hand through Thea's hair and pulled her forehead to his lips. "I know."

Felicity watched as Tommy held her close. She was glad that at least Tommy was there to comfort and watch over Thea. It was what she couldn't do. At least, she felt a little better knowing that it didn't seem that Thea hated her. After a moment, Tommy pulled her into the hug too. He kissed her forehead, just as he'd done with Thea and the three of them just held each other.

"We need to stick together," Tommy told them. "We can't let him tear us apart…not now that we know and we're together…" When he finally let them go, he practically marched her into the bathroom. "We'll be right out here if you need anything?"

Felicity just nodded and waited until he closed the door to even move. She was shaky on her legs all alone. She stumbled over to the sink and held onto it for dear life. The shower was already warm, she knew…hot even. The mirror was fogged and she just wanted to see herself before she ventured into the extremely scary shower. She reached up and swept her hand across the smooth, damp reflective surface. Felicity sighed as she stared at herself. She looked, as far as she could tell, like herself… There were no visible signs that Merlyn had done anything to her.

Was that why he had done it?

There were no marks…

No bruising…

There would be nothing that proved what he'd done to her. Felicity had mixed feelings about that realization. She choked back down the sobs that wanted to bubble up. She turned away from the mirror and started to remove her wet clothing. She just left them in a pile on the floor. Felicity was terrified of how she'd feel once she was in the shower, but she didn't have much of a choice. She was freezing, shaking, and shivering…

She had to warm up.

Slowly, she moved towards the shower. Her hands clinging to the outside of the shower alcove. She could already feel the heat. Felicity opened the shower door and stood there for a long moment. She didn't know how long the heat would last… They were on a boat; did their showers stay warm? Or did they cool quickly? She'd already wasted so much time…

Lifting her foot from the floor, Felicity let the warm water cascade over it. She wanted to be emerged in it so badly, but the sound of it hitting the floor was enough to make her panic. Her chest hurt just as much as it had when she'd been in that chair. "You have to do it," she told herself quietly.

Surely, she made it into the shower and closed the door. It was small, but the showerhead could be moved. So, she moved it so that the water hit the tile sidewall and lightly streamed down it. She sat in the farthest corner from where the water was coming down. Her legs were folded and pulled tightly to her chest. The alcove she was in was warm and she hoped that that was enough to warm her through. Occasionally, she'd brave through it enough to reach out to capture some of the water and then spreading it over her body to help warm herself up. Felicity rested her head on her knees and let herself cry.

. . .

"I can't believe we're sitting on the floor playing Monopoly," Thea said.

"Better than playing Battleship," Tommy countered. "I don't think I could take you singing another round of that horrible song….wasn't it in the 'Titanic' movie?"

"That's why it's appropriate when I sink a ship…" Thea pointed out.

"How about something less about a ship sinking?"

"Doesn't it technically capsize?" Felicity brought up.

"That's not helping," Tommy countered. He motioned around them. "We're on a ship, remember?"

Thea laughed. "Are you suddenly superstitious?"

It had been like this for…it had to have been days…if not a week… Merlyn hadn't made an appearance, but they'd still been taken care of. Felicity was starting to get used to it. She was starting to feel just a shred of being safe… Felicity just didn't feel safe enough to wash her hair properly as much as she should, she'd hold her breath and then cry after putting her head under the water to wash it out. She had to make sure that Thea didn't ask questions though. Tommy would give her looks, but she was fairly sure that they were succeeding in keeping Thea from knowing the truth…she didn't need to see into that darkness.

"I'm just saying…that can't be good," Tommy told her.

"Like when we were little and you and Ollie kept jumping in that elevator and it stopped and we were stuck for ten minutes?" Thea asked Tommy. Felicity could see the annoyance at the memory itself on her face. They really were lucky to have all these memories together growing up.

"I'm pretty sure we were fifteen…" Tommy relayed. "Not so little."

"Not so smart either."

"You were terrified."

"For good reason!"

Felicity just smiled as she listened to them. It made her feel a little more connected to them to hear their childhood stories. There had been a lot shared in the days they'd been left alone. Felicity, true to form, really hadn't given out much information about her life or her family. It just wasn't exciting or heart warming or cute or…much of anything that family memories should be, at least not after Merlyn left them.

"You're awful quiet," Tommy commented.

She realized that both Tommy and Thea were staring at her now. She shrugged. "I was just listening…"

"You haven't really told us much about your life growing up."

There it was.

Felicity knew that eventually they'd get around to realizing that she was a mystery… At least to them. The three of them had really never spent very much time together; this had really been the most she'd spent with either of them. "There's not really much to tell."

"My dad said that he had a second family when I was little…that was you," Tommy said. "Right?"

She nodded. "As far as I know," Felicity explained. "He would be with us and then have to go away on business trips all the time." She got really quiet as she stared down at the game board. "One day…he just didn't come back…"

"When my mom died?"

"I didn't know that then," Felicity said and looked up at him. "But I didn't know he was Malcolm Merlyn either. I guarantee you that they didn't check IDs for names on birth certificates back then…though come to think of it, they probably don't do that now… You could probably write down whatever name you wanted."

"When you were gone…after he took you…and I was separated from Thea in that other room," Tommy spoke up. "I kept thinking how different our lives might have been if we'd known…or at least if I'd known about you, Felicity…" He looked towards Thea. "We didn't know we were half siblings growing up, but I think we still ended up being pretty close."

"Well, you were best friends with Ollie, you practically lived at our house sometimes," Thea pointed out. "You would annoy me just as much as Ollie."

Tommy just beamed at Thea. He turned his attention back to Felicity. "Do you have any memories of him, though?"

Felicity thought about how to respond. It seemed so odd to have happy memories when she was absolutely terrified of what he could do to her now. "Some…" she whispered.

"You don't have to share," Thea told her. "When we were all younger, I wanted to be princess of this park… Ollie and Tommy were trying to make my day. I'm not sure why we were out by ourselves."

"I think our dads meant to stay, but they had a last minute meeting or something…" Tommy spoke up. He was already smiling. "And Oliver and I were supposed to make sure nothing happened to you. I think your dad—" He stopped and Felicity saw the look on Thea's face. "He's still your dad, Thea…" She just nodded and didn't seem so excited to talk now. "Your dad was more worried that you'd get kidnapped than anything happening to Oliver or I."

"So, Ollie and Tommy wouldn't let anyone else on the play set I had declared was my castle…" Thea continued after a minute. "The police were called… Malcolm showed up with ice creams and made it all go away… I think he said we were practicing for a play or something…"

Tommy nodded. "That he and your dad just went to get us ice cream and hadn't realized how far it was."

"Why does it seem like you guys were always in trouble?" Felicity questioned.

"It was all Tommy and Ollie…" Thea said as her thumb motioned in the direction of her newfound brother.

Tommy laughed. "Well, until she got to be a little too old to be thought of as merely cute." He looked at Felicity, "I think even if my dad had somehow brought you into the family when we were younger, you would have still been the straight arrow."

"Maybe things would be different," Thea suggested.

Felicity thought about it for a moment. She wasn't sure how she would have felt at such a young age being brought into the Merlyn family. She assumed that she would have been taken from her mother; she didn't really know how to feel about that. Her feelings were conflicted on that topic. But that would have probably meant that she'd have been left with Tommy while Merlyn disappeared and raised by staff and strangers.

"I think it would have made me too angry…and bitter…" she whispered as she looked at them both.

"It would have been different if things had been different and the three of us could have really grown up together," Tommy replied.

She nodded and they continued to actually play their game. Less talking went on, but Felicity couldn't stop thinking about the 'what ifs' that were now weighing on her mind. How different would her life really have been?

. . .

Felicity was getting ready for what she just had to believe was another day. There were no windows, clocks, calendars, or any other way for them to keep track of the time. They'd pretty much gotten a routine down. They each took turns in the bathroom and then they'd wait for breakfast to arrive. She was going through the wardrobe that was hers and deciding that she really hated every single thing in that closet and wanted her own clothes. She wanted her glasses, too. Tommy had offered to say something, but she kept telling him that it wasn't a good idea.

With the clothes all pulled to one side of the bar, Felicity found herself staring at the back of the wardrobe. There was a box shape that seemed to be cut out. She reached in and ran her hand over it. She stepped farther into it and tried to get a good look at it. The cover was smooth and had no outlets or openings to plug anything into it. That meant nothing as far as she was concerned.

"What are you doing?"

Felicity turned to see Thea looking at her. She took a step out of the wardrobe and looked towards where she knew where one of the cameras was briefly. She couldn't say anything. "I was just trying to decide what to wear…" she covered lamely. "Seems like I've worn everything in here dozens of time already." She paused for a moment. "Maybe you could help me decide?" Felicity purposely opened both doors of the wardrobe in order to give them better cover from the cameras. She stepped back inside and pointed to the cover before motioning to Thea to be quiet.

"You should definitely go with the blue shirt…" Thea said in response.

She knew that she was going to need tools in order to open it up in any hope of possibly using whatever wires were behind it. Of course, if it was merely electrical then that wouldn't do much, but…if it was a telephone line or an Ethernet line… That gave a whole new realm of possibility.

They could possibly contact Oliver.

Warn him.

Let him know that they were alive.

She felt like that would be enough.

But how were they going to be able to talk about this? The room had cameras and audio. It was everyone…and then she realized, except the bathroom. She knew it would be suspicious if they all went in there at the same time, but Felicity knew that she could figure out something. Felicity grabbed the blue shirt and a pair of pants and headed for the bathroom. "Thanks!" she said over her shoulder.

Thea looked back at her, but didn't say anything. Felicity did notice that she was closing up the wardrobe though.

She closed herself up in the bathroom and let out a quick sigh. This was the only place where she was ever completely alone right now. Well, except when Merlyn locked her up in that box… That didn't count. Felicity hurriedly stripped down and changed before turning to her real task for being in there. She left her discarded clothes on the ground in a heap while she moved to the sink. She started to go through what they had.

It wasn't much.

If Merlyn had been kind enough to have supplied her and Thea make-up then this would have been a lot easier. Instead she had the basics… She looked them over and then grabbed the tube of toothpaste. Felicity unscrewed the lid and squeezed just a dab out onto her fingertip. She looked up at the mirror and started, as legibly as she could, to write her message there.

Need flat screwdvr

Light

Cellphone

Poss call Oliver

She stared at it. It wasn't perfect and she cringed a bit at the shortening of the word 'screwdriver', but she knew that they'd know what she meant. She was sure that she could use other things, but these were what came to mind right away. Felicity wondered how long she'd been in there. She actually hated being in there; she had this paranoid fear that the shower was going to turn on by itself… She didn't know why, but it terrified her and she knew that it was stupid. It was like people who checked pools for sharks even though there was no way they could get in there.

When she exited the bathroom, she looked over to Thea before moving to sit on her bed. It looked like Thea had been whispering to Tommy and Felicity was sure that it was too quiet for audio to pick up.

"We should play a game…" Tommy suggested.

"We've played all the games," Thea complained. "We need new ones."

"Or books," Felicity put out there.

"Maybe we could make a list of things," Tommy said.

Thea seemed to brighten up. "Can there be make-up on this list?"

Felicity smiled. She actually wouldn't mind a few items, though not necessary… She just thought that it would make her feel more normal than…being kept a prisoner. She noticed that Tommy just seemed amused by Thea as he pulled out a paper and pen.

"Let's start with practical items for our sanity," Tommy told Thea.

"Make-up IS practical…" Thea told him. "And it's for all of our sanity…I guarantee you…and make-up wipes… Necessity…"

"Wouldn't other female products be higher on that list?" he asked.

"We better not be stuck on this boat for that long," Thea grumbled.

"I'm putting down Midol as the first thing on the list," Tommy told Thea as he started writing.

. . .

So far, they'd all seen what the mirror said. Tommy had washed it clean to ensure no one else saw it. They had been just hanging out and talking about nothing in particular when the door opened. They all sat up from their beds and it didn't go past her notice that Tommy purposely moved so that he was in between Malcolm Merlyn and her and Thea.

"I see you three have been bonding," Merlyn said like it was a normal day. "That's great… I was hoping we could have a family dinner. What do you say? I'll get new clothes…nice things… We'll have a good time… What do you say?"

"Can we have make-up too?" Thea asked.

Felicity smiled just a little towards the floor at Thea's question. She was so adorable. Felicity didn't understand why she was so concerned with her make-up products since she was so pretty without them, but she figured that it was why she would want them as well. In order to feel closer to normal.

"Why don't you make me a list?" Merlyn suggested.

Thea went and grabbed the list from Tommy's bed that he'd already started. She started to write some things down. She handed it to her. "Your turn."

"It's okay," Felicity told her. She didn't want to push her luck.

"No, she's right, my darling Felicity…you should write what you want," Merlyn told her.

That caught her off guard…but there was no way to know how long he'd stay so…agreeable? So, she just wrote down a couple of things before handing it to Tommy. She'd made sure that she added some items that she knew she and Thea would need as well.

"Felicity needs her glasses too," Tommy told him.

Merlyn nodded. "I was trying to have them repaired, but a new set is already on order and I took the liberty of ordering a couple boxes of contacts," he said. "The contacts will be here when the clothes come."

"Thank you," she found herself saying much to her own surprise. She couldn't help it, she was actually grateful for it even if it had been his fault that she'd lost her glasses before…and why she didn't have access to her things at home.

"Well, then… I'm excited… Is everyone else excited?" Merlyn asked.

"Are we going to be leaving the ship?" Thea asked.

"No, no… Much more fun to eat on the ship… They're decorating and setting up a room for it later… We'll even go out onto the balcony and walk a bit after. Doesn't that sound nice?" Merlyn asked. He was obviously overly enthused about it.

"It sounds nice," she replied trying to keep a somewhat cheery tone. Felicity just didn't want him to snap again.

"Good! Good!" he said as he clapped his hands together. "Get excited… Couple hours and your things will arrive."

"We'll be waiting then," Tommy said.

Merlyn left and Felicity felt like weight had been lifted off of her. She flopped onto her bed and rolled onto her side to stare at the wall. Tears were in her eyes, but she was trying to keep them at bay. She didn't want Thea to see her like that and she knew that she hadn't exactly done something completely normal, but she finally felt like she could breathe again. When he'd first come through the door, she'd thought he was going to drag her off again.

"You okay?"

Tommy was at her side a moment later. He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her into his arms. Felicity wrapped her arms around him and just cried. She couldn't keep it inside of her anymore. Maybe it was just because Tommy was holding her, she didn't know. It had been a long time since she'd been held or hugged and it was nice, even if it was from her brother.

"What's wrong?" Thea asked.

"Before—" Tommy started.

"Shh…" Felicity tried to shush him to keep him from telling Thea.

He ran his fingers through her hair and started to rock her slightly. He looked almost apologetically down at her. "She should know," Tommy said. "She's a big girl… As much as we want to protect her, it's better she knows…that she's prepared…"

Felicity shook her head against his hold, but she knew that she was against it because Oliver wouldn't want to scare her. Oliver would want to try to keep her as sane and innocent as possible.

"My da—Merlyn…he…had her in a little box locked away when I found her," Tommy told Thea. "Before that, he was doing something like drowning her…"

Thea gasped suddenly and Felicity screwed her eyes shut. She supposed that at least if they were in this, they were in this together. Thea was suddenly hugging her too. She could hear Thea crying as well and Felicity was confused as to why, but she didn't ask.

"No more secrets," Thea whispered.

. . .

Everything came. The only things that didn't come were books and games, but the people who brought everything else said that Merlyn would be talking to them about that at dinner. Felicity was just excited to have contacts; it meant that she could see.

"Are they the right kind?" Tommy asked.

Felicity nodded. "Right prescription… I really don't care what brand it is right now, just as long as the world isn't so fuzzy."

"Then the bathroom is yours first," he offered as he motioned with his arm in that direction.

She happily went along with it. It didn't take Felicity long to pop the contacts in and cringe a little at the stinging of the sterile solution in her eyes. It only stung for a minute, but she figured her eyeballs were probably not as clean as they normally were with how much showering she normally did… Felicity left the bathroom to find Thea celebrating with each piece of make-up she found in the bags.

"How do you know who's clothes are who's?" Tommy asked as he unzipped garment bags.

"I assume yours are the ones with pants," Thea replied automatically.

Felicity just grinned in reply. "The sizes are going to be different."

"I'm just confused," Tommy said and handed Felicity the two garment bags that obviously contained things for her and Thea. She took them and quickly checked tags before handing one to Thea. "How can you be so sure?"

"We wear different sizes."

"You two are both tiny."

"Just remember that when I ask you if I look fat in it later," Thea told him.

It took them all what Felicity was sure was forty-five minutes to an hour to change and get ready. Felicity even put on mascara, eye shadow, and lipstick. She was even excited to have her own brush. They'd been sharing, which was odd, but you did what you had to do when you didn't have a lot of supplies. It was still exciting.

Merlyn had given them each three outfits to choose from. Tommy was wearing a blue button-up shirt, navy and gold striped tie, and navy trousers. Thea had put on a gold dress that had some sparkles on it and it fell to right above the knee. Felicity had ended up going with a dark green dress, mainly because it reminded her of Oliver… She knew that was a little lame, but it did. It was almost the color of his hood and costuming, but he doubted that Merlyn knew…though he might say something about it.

She really didn't care.

Not right now.

Felicity just wanted to feel like her life hadn't been flipped upside down and shaken around. She wanted to feel like Oliver could walk into dinner at any moment, like she was playing a part…out in the field. Shoes had arrived as well and Felicity was excited to be walking around in something other than slip-ons or bare feet. She'd missed heels…they made her feel pretty and taller…

There was a knock on the door and it was opened. A group of men were waiting, apparently they were an escort. Felicity was taken by surprise, but only for a second, when Tommy took her hand. He held tight to her and Thea as they walked out of the room.

. . .

Merlyn had a whole level of the ship, or at least it seemed like that, made over and had it successfully transformed it into what looked like a nice restaurant. Felicity was still shocked to see the outside world even though Merlyn had told her that they would even actually walk along the walkway outside of the 'restaurant'. Felicity was surprised at the reaction that she was having to seeing something that wasn't a wall…something that was a real landscape. She squeezed Tommy's hand. It was the only way to anchor herself there and keep her from the idea of running.

Fight or flight.

She really was honed more towards flight, especially in a case like this. Felicity still feared Merlyn and what he could do to her. When Tommy squeezed back, she almost jumped. She snapped out of it and looked to him and remembered to breathe. She was fairly sure that remembering to breathe and keep calm was going to be the only way she was going to be able to make it through the night.

When it came to sitting at the table, Felicity ended up sitting between Thea and Tommy, so she didn't have to sit right next to Merlyn. Sitting across from him was hard, though. She suddenly didn't like round tables anymore. She wished that she'd stayed back in the room, but at the same time…she wanted to go outside and walk and just breathe in fresh air that hadn't been recycled and pumped through the boat.

"So, I'm hoping that you will all find things to be a little more agreeable over the next few days," Merlyn told them.

They were all eating, but that definitely caught their attention. They were all staring at him, waiting for him to continue. Felicity hoped that somehow they'd be able to get out of their prison…to go home… She knew that that was likely not happening, but she could hope for it just the same.

"I want you all to be happy," Merlyn continued. He was smiling and looked like he was about to tell them that they were going on a family vacation to Disney World or something. "So, for those of you who behave…cooperate…you'll be allowed certain privileges… You'll be allowed out of your room to walk around…allowed extra items that you can request…"

That meant not her.

Felicity bowed her head and tried to remember to breathe. She ran the fabric of the hem of her dress through her fingers and just tried to concentrate on that. The green. The green that she was so used to seeing Oliver in. He was coming, she reminded herself, Oliver would be looking for them. She knew Oliver. He would look under every stone in the whole world to find Thea… He'd come…

"And I wanted you to all rest assured that you're going to be safe here," Merlyn said a minute later. She supposed that he had been waiting for it to all sink in for them. "I know I haven't really told you much," he said and Felicity felt the need to look up. He was checking his watch and then smiled. "Perfect timing," he said and produced a remote. He pointed it behind them and they all turned to see a TV turn on. It was a newscast.

"The Queen Family is once again mourning the loss of a child," the reporter said. They were obviously standing near the property; Felicity thought it looked familiar behind them. "It was just confirmed that earlier this week, a boat containing the kidnappers who abducted Thea Queen and Felicity Smoak was destroyed. The authorities are still investigating this to the fullest extent." There was a pause. "Thea Queen was the daughter of Moira Queen and sister to Oliver Queen. She had taken over her brother's club, Verdant, and was abducted from outside of her workplace. Felicity Smoak was executive assistant to Oliver Queen at Queen Consolidated and lived alone here in Starling City. It is still unknown why Ms. Smoak was at Verdant, but our sources say that Ms. Smoak was running to Ms. Queen's rescue…"

She couldn't breathe. Felicity realized that she wasn't the only one. Thea looked like she was having trouble breathing as well. It was almost surreal to see their deaths announced, their pictures shown to the whole world. He'd ensured that Oliver thought that they were dead. She couldn't believe it though. It had to be a trick. A recording, something that he fabricated. It wasn't real.

"He's not going to believe that," she spoke up.

That was why he had gone to such great lengths to fake their deaths. To stop Oliver. He knew that they wouldn't just be forgotten. Oliver and the others would be looking for them. They wouldn't stop.

"He will," Merlyn countered. He turned off the TV and stared directly at her. "My source says that the family has already started to make arrangements for your services… The coast guard can't promise bodies…"

Felicity just shook her head in disbelief.

"They might find bodies, but none of it will be enough to DNA test...or run a dental check," Merlyn told her. "I'm not cruel, you see… I want them to be able to mourn…"

"Oliver won't believe so easily," Felicity told him firmly through gritted teeth.

He looked furious.

She didn't care.

"He'll have to face facts that you and Thea won't be coming back," Merlyn snapped. "I did them a favor! You should be thanking me!"

"The Queen's Gambit went down in the North China Sea," Felicity reminded. "Everyone thought that it went down with no survivors…for five years…" She sucked in a much needed breath. "Oliver came home to Starling City…" She was so angry. How could he think that it was just that easy? That they'd all be so happy with him for faking their deaths. "And a year later…Sara showed up… Oliver had thought she was dead… TWO people that everyone thought was dead… They showed up…"

"Well, then I'll keep you for five years," Merlyn countered. "But right now! You're going to shut your mouth and appreciate what I've done for you!" he snapped. He got up from his seat and started around the table.

Tommy was moving to try to stay in between them. Felicity knew that she'd done what she shouldn't, but she couldn't help it. She had to say something. She couldn't let him believe that she was thrilled or okay with anything that he'd done. She wasn't.

"Are you happy?!" he screamed at her, through Tommy. "You've ruined dinner!" Merlyn stared at her for a long minute before turning away from them and walking away. "Take them back to their room!"

. . .

TBC…


	9. Losing Hope, Gaining Hope

"What did he do?"

Silence.

"Did he put you back in the box?"

Silence.

"Are you okay?"

Silence.

"Please, just say something…"

Felicity knew that they were worried. She was certain that she looked like a wreck. Thea was okay, that was what was important. She didn't know how long she'd been back in the room, but she'd gone straight to her bed and just sat there…staring straight ahead and not answering them. They were worried and they cared…and she couldn't fault them or continue the silence only to upset them more.

"I miss Oliver," she finally whispered sadly. "I would happily take him coffee everyday…if only we could go home…"

Thea suddenly let out a light and quiet laugh, Felicity was certain that it was a relieved laugh. Thea hugged Felicity and Felicity held her.

"Just…don't tell Oliver I said that," Felicity added a moment later.

"I miss him, too," Thea confided.

"He did something…" Tommy stated. They both looked up at him. He was upset, his hands were balled up and suddenly he reminded her of Oliver. Felicity didn't know if it was the protectiveness or merely the anger at someone hurting her. "He shouldn't have—" He turned away from them and stopped himself from finishing the sentence.

Felicity knew that they'd said no more secrets, but she was feeling like this time it was her own fault. She had pushed and she had known that she shouldn't have. She lifted the side of her shirt, unable to really keep this secret. She hated keeping secrets anyway; the only reason she'd kept the ones she had was in order to keep people safe….

"What did he do?!" Thea exclaimed.

She closed her eyes and couldn't bring herself to look at Tommy's reaction. She knew that it had to look horrible. She'd even been able to see the bruising already dark and mottling her skin right below on bra line extending downward to where her pants waistband. "I'm pretty sure it's just bruised," she said. Not that bruising was really that great. It was better than broken ribs, though. She'd seen Oliver when he'd injured his ribs, it always seemed painful…this was painful…

"He threw me against the wall…and I just curled up and closed my eyes when I hit the floor and tried to be somewhere else," she told Thea honestly.

"How can you even—?" Thea asked.

"She goes somewhere safe," Tommy said quietly, his back to them. They both stared over at him. "I always used to think of my times with Oliver at his house…or when I'd get to go on those father-son trips with Oliver and Mr. Queen."

"He hit you, too?"

"He liked to think of it as…toughening me. Making me a man."

"You never said anything," Thea said softly.

Tommy shrugged. "At least he paid attention to me then was how I saw it…"

"I don't care what he says," Felicity said firmly as she let her shirt fall back to cover the bruising. "Oliver is coming…the whole team is coming…"

"But you saw the news," Thea started to argue.

"Felicity's right," Tommy told Thea as he turned back to them. "Oliver wouldn't give up so easily…not without enough proof…"

. . .

A stack of newspaper front pages were brought in with their breakfast. They all grabbed for them the moment that they were left alone. Felicity looked first at the date. "What does your headlines say?" Felicity asked as she grabbed the other papers that no one had grabbed and started to lay them across the floor. Tommy and Thea didn't seem to understand what she was getting at, but they handed over their papers just the same. Felicity put them in chronological order and sat back.

"Coast Guard believes that the boat that exploded and went down off the coast contained Thea Queen and Felicity Smoak. So far, no survivors," Felicity read and then moved on to the next paper. "No survivors. Divers have recovered little skeletal remains. Not enough to make definite match." On to the next. "Moira Queen announces funeral services for her daughter, Thea Queen, and Queen Consolidated employee, Felicity Smoak. Moira Queen feels the need for closure for herself and her son, Oliver Queen."

She paused and just stared at the pictures. "Funeral services held today for recent kidnapped victims Thea Queen and Felicity Smoak. Oliver Queen not in attendance." Felicity didn't know what to make of that. It could mean so many things as far as she was concerned. "In the midst of the Queen family's grief, Stellmoor International's Isabel Rochev moves in and takes control of Queen Consolidated. Stock prices already up five points since the announcement this morning."

No.

That's what they'd tried to keep from happening. She just stared at the paper. It had the most current date. She fingered it. "If this is today's paper, then we've been here for almost two weeks…"

"Two weeks?!" Thea exclaimed. She got up and started to pace. "Two weeks and they give up on us!"

Tommy picked up one of the papers and started to read it over. "It says that someone was able to positively identify you both on that boat that went down and that they called in the Coast Guard…" He looked between them. "What else are they going to think?"

"They said that Oliver didn't even go to the services!" Thea went on.

Felicity was fairly sure that this was just Thea's way of working through everything that had been thrown at them. She was trying to cope and hold onto a glimmer of hope. She looked over the pictures and in none of them did she see Oliver. It was mostly pictures of Moira. There were a couple where she spotted Roy, Sara, and even Diggle in pictures…but never Oliver. And then…there was the picture of Isabel Rochev in front of a QC logo, Felicity was fairly sure that that was the only picture that existed with that woman smiling. It wasn't even a pretty smile, it was an evil one. She wanted to crumple it up, throw it across the room, and scream…but she knew that that wouldn't accomplish anything.

"He might be working on finding us," she responded quietly. "Or…"

"Or?" Thea and Tommy both asked at the same time.

Felicity looked between them. "If Oliver REALLY believes that we're dead… He's spiraling… If no one's seen him… He could have gone back to Lian Yu."

"Isn't that the island he was stuck on?" Thea questioned.

Nodding, Felicity sighed. There was so much that they didn't know. "After Tommy died, Oliver left Starling City…"

"He went snowboarding…or skiing…" Thea filled in.

"No," Felicity countered. "He went to Lian Yu and wasn't going to come back… Diggle and I travelled…pretty much through the seven circles of hell…maybe it was six, because we never passed through this one…" She got a smile from both of them on that comment. "We jumped out of an airplane that I'm pretty sure was barely holding together in order to get to him… It took some convincing, but we got him to come home…"

"Why did he go there?" Tommy asked.

"You told him he was a killer," Felicity flat out told him. They just stared at each other for a long while. "He felt like he'd failed you…in so many ways… He couldn't cope with it at home…"

"So, you think he's gone there?" Thea pushed.

Felicity shrugged. "He's either at the Foundry or at Lian Yu."

Tommy sighed.

"Digg's in these pictures…" Felicity said as she pointed them out. "Sara… Roy… They're here…" She was quiet for a moment. "Maybe Oliver just couldn't handle being in public…having to talk about it…"

Thea seemed to accept her explanation. She nodded for a moment and then went back to pacing and freaking out. "What must Roy think? That I'm dead? That—"

"He's probably punched holes in walls…" Felicity said with a sigh of her own. Just what she needed to think about, having walls patched in the Foundry. "We're going to get out of here, Thea… This isn't going to be our life…"

It couldn't be…

. . .

He hadn't been coming to the room, not since the dinner. Felicity didn't know if it was because they had been left to really think about the newscast and the newspapers that they'd been left, if they really were genuine…which they seemed convincingly so…then…

Hope died a little inside of her.

She knew in her heart that Oliver would stop at nothing to find them, but what if it was enough to convince him? Felicity didn't know if she could continue to push herself into believing that Oliver would still come. She'd tried to be as hopeful as possible for the others. It was exhausting though. Felicity didn't know if this could possibly be part of a larger plan… All she knew was what she had, the facts that Starling City knew. She wanted to believe things were different, but she remembered Oliver after Tommy's death…

And that stuck with her.

At dinner, Merlyn had spoken of privileges, but Tommy and Thea hadn't left the room. Things hadn't changed. Maybe she'd ruined things for all of them. Whatever it was, it seemed that Merlyn had gotten over it because he entered the room.

"I'm sure all three of you will be excited to know that I found somewhere safe for us all to go," Merlyn said. He seemed excited enough for all three of them. "I'm not going to tell you where… Too dangerous… But it's beautiful and warm… Untamed and wild. There are beaches that stretch for miles…"

It was sounding like Lian Yu was all Felicity could think.

"I'm just waiting to hear back about our little compound… I know none of you are going to want to live with Dad… I found this perfect place with a large house with four smaller houses. Perfect for you three and security… There are walls and…well, it passes my need to make sure that my kids are well taken care of."

"So, you just want to take us to this place and keep us there?" Thea asked.

"I want to protect you," Merlyn told her as he took a step towards her.

Thea stepped back a step. Tommy was still between them, so Felicity wasn't alarmed. "We're not prisoners… You can't just confine us… That's not life… That's not living… I had a boyfriend…"

"He wasn't good enough for you!" Merlyn snapped.

Felicity reached out and grabbed Thea to keep her back. None of them needed to get hurt. She really didn't think it was a good idea to set him off either. There was so much that they still needed to do. It was possible for them to still contact Oliver; she had to have hope in that…no matter how hard it was right now.

"You don't even know Roy!" Thea screamed at him. Tommy and Felicity were both holding her back now.

"See what you do?" Merlyn asked as he looked towards Felicity. "You brainwash your sister against me!"

Felicity didn't respond. There was no need to. It wasn't true. He was crazy and that was it.

"You can't expect us to just be your prisoners for the rest of our lives!" Thea screamed.

Merlyn finally left and Felicity was sitting on her bed with Thea, holding her and trying to calm her down. "You're right," she told Thea. "He doesn't know Roy…" Felicity kept her voice down to a whisper. "If he did, then he'd know he should be worried…worried about what Roy could do to him when he was angry…"

"Roy's a good guy!" Thea exclaimed.

"I know, I know," Felicity said. "He's with Oliver… He's been training him… He's out there looking for you…"

"How can you be so sure?"

"I can't," Felicity told her honestly. "But he always comes…"

"What do you mean?"

Felicity took a minute to think about what she was going to say next. "You remember The Count? Count Vertigo?" Felicity asked and waited until Thea nodded. "When your mother was on trial...the reason Oliver left while they were out on their verdict…" She paused for a moment. "I had gone out to investigate one of the mobile flu shot trucks to see if that's how the Vertigo was getting into people's flu shots," Felicity explained. "Diggle was rather…well…practically dying because of it… So, I went. When I got there though, The Count was waiting…" She looked right at Thea. "Oliver left you there at the court house because he knew that I was in danger. The Count had put together the pieces…that Oliver was the Arrow. That I was working with Oliver…and well, the Arrow… The Count was going to kill me…" She paused. She still felt guilty about Oliver having to break his 'no kill' rule because of that. "So, he made sure he didn't… He made sure that I was okay… He also made sure that we got the serum that made everyone better… He's a hero…no matter what people say…"

"You're right," Tommy spoke up.

She looked up at him a little surprised. "What?"

"You're right," Tommy repeated. "Oliver is a hero…but he wouldn't be the same without you…or your friend, Diggle." He paused. "He changed…for the better…because of you two."

. . .

They'd pulled out the board games again. They'd played all of them so many times, it really wasn't fun at all anymore but it was better than staring the ceiling. "I really would have loved a book," Felicity mumbled.

"Even I would love a book," Thea spoke up.

Tommy shook his head. "You're just saying that because I'm winning…"

"That's really not why."

"I think it is," he said with a grin.

Felicity leaned back against her bed and groaned. "Aren't you bored?"

"Absolutely, but I'm still winning…"

She shook her head and closed her eyes as she tried to wish that someone would burst through the door to save them. She knew it wasn't going to happen, but it was worth a shot. Felicity hated how much time kept going by. It was hard not knowing what was going on… Not knowing if they really thought that she and Thea were dead was really hard to deal with…even if she kept pushing to be hopeful.

"How about we—" Thea started to say, but stopped when the door was opened.

They all looked in the direction of the opening door. Malcolm Merlyn stood there. He was dressed in a suit, like most times they saw him. She really wasn't sure what to make of his expression. He seemed maybe a little grumpy…

"I promised that you could leave this room, if you had behaved," Merlyn announced. "Tommy and Thea can come out…for an hour."

Felicity really didn't have a problem with this as long as she was left alone. She was a little worried being left there because there were no guarantees that Merlyn wouldn't come back for her…to take her to that room or put her in that box…

Thea and Tommy seemed to be looking at each other and seemingly deciding what they were going to do. She didn't know if they were worrying about her or not, but the truth was…this was an opportunity. They needed things. There was a list of things that they needed.

"What are we waiting on?" Merlyn asked impatiently.

"I'm going to stay," Tommy spoke up finally.

"Why?"

"Because I'm not going to leave Felicity alone."

"But you'll leave Thea alone?" Merlyn questioned.

Tommy looked torn now. She wanted to say something, but at the same time she didn't want to anger Merlyn. He looked between them. "If I leave with Thea—"

"I'm not going to touch her," Merlyn said. "She stays in here… She's being punished for not cooperating…"

"You promise?" Tommy asked.

"You have my word. Felicity remains in this room, alone."

. . .

Merlyn had kept his promise.

Felicity had been left alone for the entire time that Thea and Tommy were gone. It was peaceful, but at the same time…it was terrifying. She'd kept thinking that he would come back even though he'd promised not to. She couldn't stop thinking about it.

With them back, though, she felt a little at ease.

"So, we're not that far from Starling City," Tommy spoke up. "I could see the lights…"

"Are you sure it's Starling City?" Thea questioned.

"Fairly sure."

Felicity nodded. "It didn't seem like we'd travelled that far…at least I didn't think so…"

"No, you're right," Thea said slowly. "So, we're close…"

"Until we head off towards the island paradise he keeps talking about," Tommy brought up. He was quiet for a long moment. "We should be focusing on something else." He moved towards the chest at the end of his bed that contained his things. He rustled through it and then brought Felicity a folded shirt.

She just stared at it for a long moment. "What is this for?"

"I thought you might want it for tonight…"

Felicity just stared at him confused. She realized that his back was to the cameras as he mouthed 'make the call'. She assumed that there were things inside of the shirt that she'd be able to use. "Thank you," she finally said and carried it with great care to her wardrobe. She placed it inside and then carefully peeked inside. There was a butter knife and a tiny flashlight. That was almost everything that they needed. Of course, the cell phone would be the hardest item…

"Oh, I thought you might want this book," Thea said.

She turned to find Thea right there. She handed the book to her. "Thank you, Thea…I—" Felicity realized as she held the book, that something was between the pages. She glanced down for a moment. "I really…really appreciate this," she said as she almost started to cry. She turned and placed the book into the wardrobe for later. She closed the doors and knew that tonight was going to be longer than most…

Thea had gotten the final item.

They had everything they needed…

Tonight, she was going to hopefully make a call.

Oliver.

She turned to Tommy and Thea, feeling a renewed sense of hope, she smiled a bit. "Why don't we play a game?"

Thea groaned, but Tommy cheered. Felicity was sure that this was mainly because Tommy was fairly confidant that he was going to win…again. That was okay; Felicity was more than okay with that. All that mattered was that they wouldn't be playing those games for another week if everything went as planned.

. . .

TBC…


	10. Phone Call

Everyone else was going to bed.

Felicity was more than fine with that.

After the lights had gone out, they'd covered them the best they could with Tommy's black socks. Tommy knew that they didn't have night vision, so really…they were useless in the dark.

Most nights, she didn't sleep…or at least she waited until she was so exhausted that her body was forced to sleep. She would always dream about water and drowning and there had been a night that she'd woken up screaming… Felicity had felt terribly for scaring and waking up Tommy and Thea, but at least they knew… They'd tried to comfort her before she'd pretended to go back to bed and just lay there, terrified. She didn't want to do that anymore…

They'd left the wardrobe doors open, so she'd have cover if someone where to open the door and she could say she needed something from it. She slowly moved from bed and padded to the open wardrobe. She opened the book first to check the phone and realized that she hadn't even made sure it was on silent. There was absolutely no signal and she thought about searching the room for a signal, just in case, but they were in the middle of the ship and it was made of metal… Once she was certain she was going to be able to use it, she turned it completely off in order to conserve power. It was going to be the final piece to the plan, so she made sure it was tucked away until she needed it, just in case. It was the most vital and hardest to come by object in the plan.

Carefully, she set up the flashlight so that it would shine at the back of the wardrobe. With the contacts, she could see the panel much clearer. She reached back and ran her hand along it. Two screws, she didn't think it would take that long to remove them, even if she was using a knife instead of a proper screwdriver.

Felicity took her time using her makeshift screwdriver in order to remove the screws. One was a bit tighter than the other for some reason and took her so much longer to remove. But once the panel was removed, she realized she had a lot more on her plate than she'd original thought or hoped for. She thought it would be fairly straightforward. It would either have originally been an outlet for power, phone, or internet. There were more than three sets of wires…

"Crap," she muttered under her breath.

This was not going to work at all.

Felicity sighed and started to reach into the opening and pull out the wires to examine them closer. She wondered if she could make assumptions with the color-coded sheathing. Of course, some things were easier to differentiate than others…

This was going to be a long night.

She had to take her time, she knew, even if the call didn't happen tonight. If she hooked it up the wrong way then she could risk frying the whole phone and they'd be screwed. Felicity wasn't going to let this precious opportunity slip through their fingers…not when they were so close. It might just take longer than she'd hoped and she knew that she had to be okay with it.

At least for right now.

By the time she was having a hard time really keeping her eyes open, she was fairly sure she had the wires in the wall figured out. She pushed the ones that she wasn't going to be able to use back into the wall and pulled out the other two. She pulled clothes to cover the back of the wardrobe and stashed everything else under folded clothes before finally closing the doors and crawling into bed.

Felicity lay in her bed and just stared upward. She didn't want to sleep, she knew she needed to, but she feared dreaming… She didn't want dreams filled with nightmares of drowning. So, she lay there and thought about her favorite guys. She thought about Oliver on the salmon ladder and she thought about Diggle and his sweet and kind words.

They're going to come for us, she reminded herself.

. . .

"You going to be okay?" Tommy questioned.

"Yeah," Felicity replied far too quickly. She noticed the worry in his face. He'd woken her up for breakfast because he wanted to make sure that she ate before they left for a bit and it had scared her. She'd screamed and moved away from his touch. It had taken her a good ten minutes to fully calm down.

"I can stay—"

"No, go," she insisted. "Someone might as well get out of this room…you two should get some sunlight if you can…"

Tommy frowned at her. "You need more sleep…"

"I'm going to go through and reorganize my wardrobe," she said for the sake of the audio recorders. She needed some reason to be in the wardrobe later for an extended period of time. "Organization is relaxing for me…"

Tommy pulled her towards him and half hugged her before kissing her forehead. "Maybe we'll find a new game," he teased with a small smile.

Felicity nodded and played along. "A new game would be nice."

"We'll keep an eye out," Thea said cheerily as the door opened. They knew they were coming because they'd been given a five-minute warning by one of the guards.

Why Merlyn wouldn't let them even have a clock, Felicity didn't know. She was certain that it was just another way for him to keep control. That seemed to be one of the things he was all about…control…control over everything. He really wasn't appreciating his own children resisting his control… He was going to have to get over it though, she thought. They were going to resist and they were going to go home.

. . .

As soon as they were out the door, Felicity started to talk to herself, both wardrobe doors open. She kept talking about clothes and occasionally moving to other sections to make it look like she was really tidying things up. In fact, she'd figured out how to rig the cell phone to the correct wiring.

She had one chance.

Or at least that was what she kept telling herself. She had no idea if the phone would fry once she made the call or really if it would even go through. It was a chance, but it was one that she knew that they had to take. One that had to be taken now because she was sure that enough time had gone by that Thea and Tommy would be returning soon.

Taking in a deep breath and steadying her hands, she dialed the number that she knew by heart. She'd gone back and forth about whom to call: Oliver or Diggle. It came down to the fact that she needed to hear his voice… Felicity kept telling herself that if she heard him say her name then she could be strong enough until he got there.

It rang…and rang…and rang…

Tears fell from her eyes as she feared voicemail would pick up. She knew that she'd still be able to hear his voice, but it wouldn't be the same and that wouldn't tell her if he'd actually check it…

"I need you," she whispered as she held the phone up to her ear. "Pick up…"

"Hello?"

Felicity just soaked in his voice. How she'd missed that voice and she couldn't stop from crying before speaking.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Oliver, I—"

She'd taken too long. She'd been too suspicious…or Tommy and Thea were back. Either way, the door was opened, before she could even turn her head to look at what was going on, she was being hauled backwards. The phone fell from her hands as she screamed for whomever it was to stop.

"Get off of her!" Thea screamed and suddenly they were all on the floor in a heap.

"Phone!" one of the guards must have shouted. Felicity had turned her head just long enough to see them yanking it from the wall and stomping it to death.

He'd picked up, she thought.

Merlyn hauled her up to her feet and shoved her against the nearest wall. "WHO did you call?" he bellowed.

"Who do you THINK she was calling?" Tommy asked.

Felicity watched from the floor as Merlyn turned towards his son and punched him. It was enough to knock Tommy to the floor. He loomed over him for a moment, before he turned back to her. He marched over to her and Felicity closed her eyes and curled herself up in order to try to protect herself as much as possible.

The kicks weren't what really hurt, but rather Thea's cries. He paused for a moment and she peeked out long enough to see that Merlyn was gripping Thea's arm in one hand as he continued to kick at her ribs.

"Let me go!" Thea cried out. "You're hurting me!"

"Dad! Stop!" she heard Tommy call.

"She's poisoned you both against me!" Merlyn shouted. "Everything was going to be perfect! We were going to be a perfect family! Have a second chance at it all! And she—"

"She's your daughter!" Tommy shouted. Merlyn stopped for a moment. "Look at her! You're kicking your OWN daughter! If you love Felicity, then you wouldn't hurt her like that… And you wouldn't be hurting Thea!"

Felicity looked up at him and it seemed like a cloud was lifting. He was suddenly looking between her and Thea. Felicity could see Tommy now; he was pulling Thea from Merlyn's hold and positioning her behind him as he tried to move Merlyn away from her.

"But now Oliver Queen—" Merlyn started to ramble.

"We WANT to go home," Tommy told him gently. "This isn't LIVING… You HAVE to SEE that."

"We were going to start over—"

"We don't WANT to…"

Merlyn just stared at them all as he slowly backed out of the room. Felicity could see his face change…different emotions taking him over… Guilt, anger, upset, confusion… The door was slammed shut and the whole room felt like it shook a bit.

"Are you okay?!" Thea asked as she and Tommy helped her up.

Felicity accepted their help and got to her feet only to then grab her side. She realized that when she curled up, she apparently did so in a way that the same side was injured and this time she was certain that she'd done a little more than just bruised her ribs.

"I'll live," she managed to get out without giving away too much, though she saw how Tommy was looking at her. She sighed as she stared at him; a bruise was forming over his eye. "You're going to have a black eye," she told him and felt so guilty about it. If she'd had finished it before…been quieter…done something different…

"Good," he replied.

"Good?!" Thea exclaimed.

"Maybe he'll finally realize that he's hurting us," Tommy said. He looked over Thea's arm and sighed. He held it up and Felicity could see what he could see. The faint bruising of fingertips on her arm, whether they'd darken or not, she wasn't sure. She didn't like it though, she really felt like she'd screwed up. "How about your ribs?"

She cringed. She knew that she couldn't lie, well shouldn't lie…not after they promised. Felicity frowned. "I don't know how many are broken…"

"You have to be careful though, can't they like poke into your organs if you're not careful?" Thea asked.

"Cheery," Tommy commented.

"What?"

"She's right though, you need to be careful, especially now."

They were all quiet for a moment as they all settled onto their beds. Felicity tried to find the best position so she didn't feel like her ribs were trying to kill her… Nothing seemed to ease it. So, she just settled with sitting with her back against the wall.

"Oliver picked up," she finally said.

"You heard him?" Thea asked instantly.

Felicity nodded. "If he thought we were dead before, he has to know now…"

"Which means my dad is probably going to try to move us…" Tommy spoke up. "So, Oliver better hurry up and find us."

Time was running out.

And it wasn't on their side.

. . .

TBC…


	11. Week One: Breaking Down & Breaking Up

DAY ONE

He was the last one to arrive back at the Foundry only to find Sara and Oliver having a yelling match and Roy smashing things. Diggle knew that everyone was pissed and worried, they'd thought that they were only up against Slade in order to get Felicity and Thea back, but they'd been wrong. The League of Assassins seemed to be involved somehow…with Slade Wilson. None of that was going to help them. Diggle had expected to show up and for Oliver and Sara to be patching each other up, but that wasn't the case… He wasn't too worried about Roy because he'd heal up on his own. He'd been lucky enough to be too far to really be close enough to sustain any kind of injury since there had been no guns on the bad guys' side of things.

"What the hell is your problem?!" Diggle yelled as his arms went out to his sides. "Thea and Felicity are STILL out there! Yelling at each other," he said to Oliver and Sara and then turned towards Roy. "And breaking things isn't going to get them back!" They all stopped and looked at him. He looked between them and took a moment to let out a huff. "Whoever took them—"

"ASK Sara," Oliver said. His tone was clearly upset and beyond pissed off. If a tone could be deadly, that was it.

Diggle had seen Oliver and Sara fight before, but never like this. This time it was different. "You know who took them?" he asked her. "Looked like another one from the League of Assassins…they need a better vacation spot."

"I thought he looked an awful lot like Malcolm Merlyn," Oliver said through gritted teeth.

Oliver was right, it wasn't often they saw someone with a bow as a weapon. Guns, swords, and even knives seemed to be what they saw more often than a bow and arrows. But that meant nothing.

"I thought you killed him," Sara countered as she stared at Oliver.

"I thought you were dead once too…" Oliver responded quietly. "Twice."

"I'm confused at what Sara's supposedly supposed to know," Diggle said.

"The woman," Sara said. "Talia al Ghul…"

"As in…Ra's al Ghul?"

Sara nodded. "She's working with Slade apparently… I don't know why. The League has a code—"

"She's probably out here to kill Oliver," Diggle suggested. "Like most people."

"We've also met Talia before," Oliver spoke up and turned his back to all of them. Diggle noticed his clenched fists down at his sides and had a feeling he was trying to keep from hitting someone.

"Who?" Diggle asked immediately as he looked between them.

"Isabel Rochev," Sara answered.

"You cannot be serious!"

"I just met her the other day—"

"You didn't say anything until NOW!" Oliver blew up.

"But who was the guy who took them?!" Roy questioned and marched towards Sara.

"I don't know!" Sara shouted. "I can't shake it…he reminds me of Merlyn…"

"Who would want to take them?" Roy continued.

"This is Thea and Felicity we're talking about," Diggle said as he tried to remain calm. "I really don't think it's about them being targets for any other reason than that they're both connected to Oliver."

"For a moment," Roy said. His voice sounded a bit calmer. "I thought that guy was saving them…"

"So did I."

"But they would have called," Sara said. "Felicity would have gone to the police or brought Thea to Verdant—"

"WHY would someone rescue Thea and Felicity from Slade? Other than us? Whoever it was kept them—"

"Maybe they were only after Thea," Sara suggested. "Felicity was shielding her—"

Diggle noticed the look in Oliver's face change before he actually said anything. It was like a light bulb had flipped on suddenly. Like he knew suddenly who it might be, but wasn't ready to share it with the rest of them. Diggle hated that. He had a feeling that if Sara and Roy hadn't been there too, then he would have shared it with him…but that didn't make him any more comfortable with the situation or keeping secrets.

"I need to make a call," Oliver said suddenly as he started out of the Foundry.

"You should go home," Roy spoke up. "We both should. Your mom has called me ten times," he said as he held up his phone as proof.

Diggle sighed as he pulled out his phone as well. He watched as Oliver stopped in his tracks. "Twenty times," Diggle announced. He let a moment pass before speaking again. "First thing's first…everyone needs to get cleaned up, patched up, and changed… I'll call Mrs. Queen…"

"What are you going to say?" Sara asked.

"He'll think of something," Oliver grumbled as he stalked off to the space that he and Sara had been using as living space. Sara walked off after him before Diggle could comment about how that probably wasn't the best idea.

He held up the phone to his ear as the phone dialed Mrs. Queen back. He took a deep breath and just hoped that this wouldn't blow up on all of them. "Mrs. Queen—" Before Diggle could say anything more, she was spilling out information and though he already knew what was going on, he needed to know what she knew. "No, no, of course—I'm sorry—I—no, no I understand—" He held his breath for a moment as she continued to go on. "Mr. Queen and Mr. Harper were playing basketball. Yes. They play basketball now. Ms. Sara Lance was with them as well," Diggle covered. He needed them all to have the same alibi. "The building must have had no signal—"

Diggle ignored the look that Roy was giving him. He thought that it was perfectly acceptable, plus he'd like to see Roy come up with something better on the spot. At least he had a reason for them all to be together and not answering phone calls for the block of time that they were on those rooftops going after Slade.

"I assume police are already there?" Diggle asked Mrs. Queen. "Okay, I'll bring them over right away, Mrs. Queen. Yes. I'll explain the situation to them." He paused. "And Mrs. Queen? We're going to find them."

Once Diggle was off of the phone, he turned to Roy. "They were reported missing…"

"Police are at the house?"

Diggle nodded. "We'll go together though…since I already told Mrs. Queen that we'd be showing up together." He could tell that Roy really wasn't too excited about being patient, but they needed to be level headed. He walked towards Roy. "Look, I know you're angry…so am I—"

"You don't LOOK angry!" Roy spat at him, his anger flaring.

"Felicity is one of my BEST friends!" Diggle snapped at him. He knew that he needed to prove that he was affected by what was going on even if normally he kept it inside and under control. "I feel responsible for Thea, just as much as Felicity! Just because I'm not breaking things left and right around here, which Felicity will NOT appreciate when she gets back down here, by the way – does not mean that I'm not angry!" He took a moment to calm himself back down. "Letting that rage control you isn't going to help us. Not right now. We're supposed to be a team," he said firmly and noticed that Sara and Oliver were walking towards them. He looked between the three of them. "We're stronger as a team…and Felicity would have been the first person to remind us of that."

He paused and then Diggle spoke again. They all needed to be on the same page. This was more important than normal because they needed to keep their stories straight, especially with the police involved. The last thing they needed was to screw up and to be flagged as possible suspects. "I told Mrs. Queen that the reason we didn't get her calls was because we were in a building that must have had no signal. That you, Oliver, and Roy were playing basketball."

"Was I there?" Sara questioned.

"You don't have to come," Oliver told her quietly.

"I'm going," Sara insisted. "Thea and Felicity are missing. I'm going to do whatever I can in order to help, even if it's getting the police coffee."

"I told Mrs. Queen that Sara was with us, so she's coming…" Diggle finally spoke up to interrupt their little spat. He could understand Oliver being more than upset with Sara, but right now that couldn't be their focus. They could fight it out later on, once they had the people they loved and cared about back home. "We need to keep our stories straight. We don't need the police thinking that we could possibly be involved in any of this."

"You think they'd think that?!" Roy exclaimed.

"We just can't be too careful," Diggle told him.

"He's right," Sara spoke up. "Thea Queen is going to be a high profile—"

"It's not just Thea, it's Felicity too," Oliver said through gritted teeth.

Diggle sighed. He could see he was going to have to assign who got to sit up front with him in the car ride over. "I think she's saying that because of Thea, they're going to push harder…because she's a Queen. We all know that Lance would push it no matter what, especially for Felicity, but with Thea involved…it's different."

"I wasn't trying to say that Felicity's life was less—" Sara started to explain, but Oliver just walked past her and she broke off her sentence with a sigh.

This was going to be a long car ride over. Diggle shook his head and then reached out to put a comforting hand on Sara's arm for a moment before heading out after Oliver. The faster they got over there and made their appearances, as well as scouting for information that the police might have, the sooner that they could head back to the Foundry and get to work on tracking them.

. . .

DAY ONE

Queen Mansion was swarming with extra bodies. Diggle didn't like it. Oliver, Sara, and Roy were with Mrs. Queen, while Diggle stayed to the edge of the room just watching. Moira Queen was an absolute mess, but he wasn't surprised. With as many secrets as that woman had, no one deserved to go through the hell that she'd been put through over the last several years.

"Mr. Diggle."

Diggle looked to his right. "Officer Lance."

"How're they holding up?" he asked as he motioned to the Queens and Roy.

Diggle shrugged. "I guess as good as can be expected…"

"And you?"

"Excuse me?" Diggle asked.

"You know Felicity…"

"I guess I was too focused on Thea because—"

Lance was nodding. "I get it. I do. We all know how this works…" He was quiet for a moment. "I like Ms. Smoak. She's a good person."

"She is," Diggle said. "I'm just trying to hold it together in order to keep them all together…"

"I'm sure Oliver is more concerned about—"

"Don't be so sure," Diggle said as he looked between Lance and where Oliver stood. "He's just as upset about both of them…"

"I thought she's just his secretary?"

"She's our friend," Diggle informed him. "We practically spend everyday together."

"Right. You guys are a bit weird," Lance said. "Did they tell you what happened?"

"Not yet," Diggle said. "I was waiting… I just know that Thea and Felicity were taken. That's all Mrs. Queen told me."

"Some of the people at Verdant reported Thea missing and then when we went over to look at the footage, I IDed Ms. Smoak… The man who took them, he knocked out Thea and Felicity intercepted them… She was trying to save Thea."

He nodded. "Sounds like Felicity."

"We're going to find her. Both of them," Lance said with confidence.

"I hope so," Diggle said. "And I hope soon."

Lance nodded and then walked off.

Diggle knew that no one, except those within the Arrow fold would actually understand how their relationships worked. Oliver cared about him and Felicity even if they were 'employees' as the world saw them. He cared for them like family and Diggle knew that Oliver would give his life just as easily for Thea or Felicity.

It was then that he noticed Oliver walking away from the others. He followed from a distance. He knew that Roy and Sara would be okay on their own. Plus, they were in the middle of a room filled with police. He stopped and waited a moment, checking to make sure no one was around before approaching Oliver, who had his back to him.

When Oliver turned to him, Diggle had to admit that he was a little surprised to find him in the state he was in. He knew that Oliver had feelings, they both did, but they both tended to keep them…especially the tears…hidden away. They had to be strong; they had to be seen as strong. "I—I just—" He turned away from him again, his hand covering his face.

"You thought that we'd get them back from Slade," Diggle said slowly. "We were prepared to deal with Slade…just Slade. We hadn't been prepared for Talia and…the other assassin."

Quietly, Oliver turned to Diggle and spoke in a whisper. "If anyone would know if Malcolm Merlyn were still alive, I think my mother might…"

"Your mother?"

Oliver shrugged. "Do you have a better idea?"

"Why would Merlyn take them? To get at you? To get at your mother? Your family?"

Then it was that face, the one that Diggle knew so well. He was about to reveal a secret. "Because Thea is Malcolm's daughter," he whispered so quietly that it took Diggle a moment to really comprehend what he said…and even then he had to take an extra moment to process.

"Thea?"

"Felicity figured it out," Oliver explained. "And—"

"And you two didn't think to clue me in?" he asked with some frustration.

"I didn't tell anyone else," he said. "Not Sara. Not—"

He held up a hand. "I got it. I guess I'm just used to it being the three of us and the three of us not keeping secrets from one another."

"Would you have figured out a way to add on a security detail to her?" Oliver asked.

Diggle could tell that he wasn't happy with his reaction to his reaction to the news. Diggle couldn't help it though. Things used to be different when it was just him, Oliver, and Felicity. "We all thought he was dead," he said in a tone that settled things between them. "Look, maybe…maybe he's back with the League and that's why Talia's here…"

"But Isabel's been in Starling since…since before I even came back from the island," Oliver told him. "That would mean that this has been planned for a year…"

"Some people are more patient than others," Diggle informed him. "Look, you try to get your mom alone and ask her… You're going to know if she's lying… Right?" Oliver nodded. Diggle knew that during the time he'd been back in the land of civilization that he'd learned far more about his mother than he had in his whole life. He knew how to read her better. "I'll try to see if I can make some calls in the meantime until we can get back to the computers in the Foundry."

Oliver wiped away his tears and snuffled a bit before turning and heading back towards where the others were. He turned and started to text on his phone as he headed to make his calls outside of the house. He wanted to find out if Lyla was around. He hoped that he could still ask her for help, even if they weren't together anymore. He knew that she'd understand that these people were a part of his family and that the fact that they just broke up wouldn't matter so much.

"Mr. Diggle."

He stopped and turned towards Lance's voice. "What can I do for you?"

"I just wanted to let you know, we ran the plates on the car… They were a dead end. Stolen. But I'd suggest that you make sure that you double up your people…in case he comes after Mrs. Queen or Oliver."

"Already on it, thank you," Diggle said politely before making his leave. He needed to get some feelers out to see if anyone had any new information. He needed something. Anything as long as it was a lead. A clue. A dead end was not acceptable.

. . .

DAY FIVE

Things had been fairly quiet, in the worst way possible.

Normally, quiet would mean good.

It would mean that Roy wasn't trying to break the Foundry and possibly bring Verdant down on top of them…but now it meant that he wasn't there, which meant that he was out there in the city doing God knew what… Diggle was sure that he was doing what he needed to in order to stay sane and to feel like he was looking for Thea. Diggle had been watching him; Roy was a mess…though not surprisingly as much as Oliver was.

Oliver had been out there, patrolling, for nearly four days straight. He was either out there on a motorcycle as Oliver Queen, undercover as Arrow or he was out there as the Arrow at night. He'd check in here and there, but Diggle was certain that it was more for his benefit than Oliver's. Oliver had refused to let Sara go out with him today and Diggle knew that he was losing hope. There was also the fact that he'd not been to Queen Consolidated at all and he had no idea if Mrs. Queen was stepping in on that front or not. He hated to think that everything they'd worked for in order to keep QC in the hands of the Queen family would be for nothing a year later.

It had been five days and they had no leads.

Nothing more than, League of Assassins.

Oliver had asked his mother if Malcolm Merlyn had comes to her and she'd said no and Oliver had believed her. Diggle wasn't sure if that could really be trusted in the state that they were both in. He liked to believe that Moira Queen would spill all of her secrets if that meant saving her daughter, but Diggle really didn't know.

"You know, he's not going to call in for help."

Diggle spun around in the chair that Felicity normally sat in until he faced Sara. She had her street clothes on and her bag in tow. It didn't look like she was coming back. "So, is that it? You're gone?"

"I'm not leaving Starling," she told him. "I'm going to just move back to the clock tower."

"The clock tower?" he asked in disbelief.

"What? Do you have a better idea?"

"Why are you moving out? You know we're going to find them and then Oliver will calm down," Diggle explained. He was sure that she knew this, but she seemed like more weighed on her than normal. He and Sara always seemed to understand each other and normally without even speaking. "They're going to be okay."

"I know," Sara said. "But Oliver and I…we broke up…days ago… I kept thinking that we'd find them and everything would be okay," Sara explained. "But we haven't found them…and it's not okay…" She was quiet for a few minutes and she seemed to be working through what she was going to say. "Oliver and I are probably not the best idea anyways... That island…it messed us both up… I honestly don't even know if it'll be possible for either of us to have any kind of meaningful long term relationship."

"You act like you're damaged," Diggle told her and he supposed that in a way they really were.

"We are," Sara said. "Once…I told Oliver that we were ghosts…he said we weren't… He wanted me to feel like a whole person again… That's hard, especially with what we do…here…"

Diggle nodded. "Especially when the people we care about are taken."

"I love Thea, like a little sister…" Sara told him. "And Felicity…she and I are still getting to know one another, but I'd give my life for her…"

"I know."

"Do you?"

Diggle smirked as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I know you better than you think I do."

"I'd be surprised if that were true," she told him with a small smile.

"You can stay with me," Diggle told her. It wasn't an offer. He wasn't going to let her crash in a clock tower. It wasn't quite the same as sleeping in the Foundry. She might as well be sleeping in a tunnel as far as the clock tower went. He was fairly sure that the League of Assassins might look for her there if they really were back in town. "But I expect you to actually show up and help me look for clues."

"I wasn't going to disappear."

"Drop the bag then," Diggle said and motioned to the other computer chair and the workstation. "Then get to work… We have a lead to find…"

. . .

TBC…


	12. Week Two: Losing the War

DAY ELEVEN

He'd had one monitor with newscasts since it had been reported that the boat that they believed that Felicity and Thea on it earlier in the week. They thought that they had died on the boat in an explosion. Someone had even caught video of the boat exploding and it had been on an earlier newscast. Diggle didn't want to believe it. He knew that they were already searching for remains. He knew even if there was not enough evidence to know for sure, that nothing would make any of it easier… But the image of a news reporter in front of the Queen Mansion's grounds caught his eye and he turned up the volume.

"The Queen Family is once again mourning the loss of a child," the reporter said. "It was just confirmed that earlier this week, a boat containing the kidnappers who abducted Thea Queen and Felicity Smoak was destroyed. The authorities are still investigating this to the fullest extent." There was a pause. "Thea Queen was the daughter of Moira Queen and sister to Oliver Queen. She had taken over her brother's club, Verdant, and was abducted from outside of her workplace. Felicity Smoak was executive assistant to Oliver Queen at Queen Consolidated and lived alone here in Starling City. It is still unknown why Ms. Smoak was at Verdant, but our sources say that Ms. Smoak was running to Ms. Queen's rescue…"

Diggle sighed. He didn't like this. He had no idea if Oliver had even been home. They sounded like everything was so final. They'd been gone for eleven days; they hadn't even hit the two-week mark. Diggle knew soldiers that had been caught and held for longer and then later rescued. He was not ready to give up hope and he knew Oliver wasn't either.

"It has been confirmed that Moira Queen is presuming that both Thea Queen and Felicity Smoak are dead. Services for both young women will be held in the coming days. We'll keep you updated…"

He couldn't believe his ears. Diggle would have thought that after Oliver showed up five years later that Mrs. Queen wouldn't let days factor in her presuming that they were dead. He knew that there was some evidence, but he didn't think any of it was really that substantial.

"You know, I was thinking…maybe we should see if we can pull any video from around that rooftop…" Sara said and then stopped when she got to the bottom of the stairs. "What are they saying now?"

"Mrs. Queen is getting ready to plan services for Thea and Felicity."

"Already?"

Diggle shrugged. "Some people HAVE to mourn…and sometimes, I guess…doing it sooner rather than later helps keep their sanity… " He really couldn't think anymore past that. "I have to go tell Oliver though."

"I can do it," she said as she set their order from Big Belly Burger down next to the computer.

"You and I know that he won't let you get a word in if you go," Diggle told her. "I've been pinging his phone. At least he's kept it with him, even if he doesn't answer calls. I'm going to text him and let him know where to meet me, if he doesn't show…then I'll go to him," Diggle said. "He has to know what's going on."

Sara nodded as she sat down in the other chair. "You're right."

"You going to be okay?"

"Yeah," she responded.

"Go ahead and eat," he told her as he motioned to the bag as he got up. Diggle was texting Oliver as he did so. He didn't want to waste anytime. He really didn't want there to be a funeral or services if they really weren't dead. Diggle remembered when Oliver ordered for the headstones that his mother had placed on the grounds for both him and his father removed. It had been how his mother had coped with their deaths, but it really wasn't helping them move on as much emotionally. It seemed to only hold them all back.

"I'll wait for you," she told him.

"It might be awhile…"

"I'm sortive getting used to not eating alone."

"Suit yourself."

"Go," Sara told him. "Find Oliver."

. . .

DAY ELEVEN

It took Diggle an hour before he finally managed to be in the same place as the Arrow. He knew that Oliver was grieving and trying to cope with what was going on, but so were they all. Diggle hated that he was spiraling. He could see it clear as day and it just made everything so much harder. He wanted them to all come together and work as a team on getting them back.

That wasn't happening.

And Diggle didn't see it happening.

Team Arrow was falling apart, but he knew that they needed to come together. He just had to figure out how to make that work. He just hadn't figured out how to do that yet. Diggle just hoped that it would come to him and that it wouldn't be too long. Felicity and Thea were depending on them.

"I'm sorry I haven't checked in."

Diggle turned to see Oliver dressed as the Arrow behind him. He still hated how he could sneak up on him. "I know you're going through a lot right now," Diggle said. "But…you haven't been in…you haven't seen the TV…you probably haven't talked to your mother…"

"Why does any of that matter? Thea and Felicity are out there. No one's found them yet."

"No, they haven't," Diggle said. "They're saying that they were seen on a boat…a boat that exploded a couple of days ago and went down… They're saying that they're dead."

"They're not!"

"I don't think so either," Diggle confirmed. He was quiet for a moment. He knew that what he was about to say would not go over well with Oliver. "Your mother is saying that she's planning their funeral services…"

"What?!"

"It was just on the news."

"She can't—"

"I know."

"It's only been a few days."

"Eleven."

"Eleven," Oliver repeated. It sounded like he was trying to wrap his mind around the number.

It was still hard to even think that Felicity and Thea had been gone for that long. When it was just him sitting down in the Foundry, it was like he could almost hear Felicity… He missed her… He missed the way that she seemed to balance out Oliver at times and Diggle missed his friend… They needed her back.

"Are you going to go home?"

Silence.

Diggle just waited. He knew that it was a lot for Oliver to take in. He was still trying to really take in that it had even been that long since they'd been taken. The harder part was that the rest of the world didn't know what really happened. Slade had taken them, but then someone else had… Someone that they didn't know.

"Yes."

. . .

DAY TWELVE

Diggle had received a text early that morning asking for him to meet Oliver at the Queen Mansion, so he'd shown up. He'd found that Oliver had spent the night there at the mansion after going to talk to his mother. When he finally set his eyes upon him, all Diggle could think was how broken he seemed. It was clear that he'd been crying. It was also clear that he wasn't listening to a word that was being said around him. He was sitting there on the couch in what looked like a trance-like state.

"Mr. Diggle, I didn't expect you," Moira Queen spoke up when she finally noticed he'd entered the room. Her voice was what he'd expected; full of emotion and on the verge of breaking down.

"Mr. Queen texted me and asked me to come here," Diggle explained as he motioned towards where Oliver sat.

Moira just nodded slowly. "I'm working on the plans for the service to be held in a couple of days. For Thea…and for Ms. Smoak," she told him.

"That's very…kind of you—"

"She was part of Queen Consolidated and I know that both my son and Walter thought highly of her," Moira explained. "It seemed right, especially given the circumstances…"

Diggle was certain that Mrs. Queen was referring to the fact that Felicity had been taken only because she'd gone to Thea's rescue. Whether Mrs. Queen knew it or not, that was the person that Felicity really was. Plus, Felicity cared for Thea in a way that Mrs. Queen would never understand. Sometimes it was hard to keep their secret, especially in times like this. He wished he could explain to her exactly what kind of person Felicity was and how he knew that.

"I have some calls to make," Moira said in order to excuse herself. "I'll let you two talk."

Once she was gone, Diggle moved over and sat down next to Oliver. He really wasn't sure what to say. There was nothing he could say to make this better except to say that they'd found them. They hadn't. They didn't even have a lead. "Look, Man, I know that this isn't easy on you…it's not easy on any of us—"

"It's my fault," Oliver whispered, his voice was full of guilt. "If—"

"Felicity knew—"

"That doesn't make it easier," Oliver told him as he finally turned to look at him. "And Thea—"

"Thea and Felicity are out there," Diggle said lowly. He didn't want Mrs. Queen to overhear in case she re-entered the room. "I know that your mother doing this is hard for you because it makes it real…but it's what she needs so that she doesn't fall apart…but they're out there… It's just a matter of finding them."

"It's like they just disappeared…" Oliver whispered. He hunched forward so that his elbows rested on his knees and his gaze was towards the floor. He was quiet for a long moment. "What if whoever it was is working with Slade?"

"Then, we'll find something…we'll find a clue…and then we'll find them," Diggle tried to sound confident.

Oliver shook his head a bit. "Slade said that he would make me suffer…that death was too easy…"

"Slade didn't look like it was part of his plan," Diggle offered. "I think the kicking you, Sara, and Roy around was part of it…and luring us there… Speaking of which, how are your ribs?"

"I'll live."

"Do you REALLY think they're alive?" Oliver asked and he looked up at him.

Diggle sighed. He knew that they couldn't be sure, but he felt like they were. "I don't think that they're dead… I go back and forth about it, too. You're not alone on that, but… I think they would have been more convincing if they had killed them," Diggle explained. "If they wanted to get at you…at the Arrow…they would have made a spectacle of their deaths…"

He watched as Oliver just nodded and new tears fell. "Thanks… I needed to hear that."

"That's why I'm here…you know we're all here for you," Diggle reminded. "Sara and I have been at it in the Foundry…searching for anything… There has to be a trail out there, we just haven't found it yet."

"I just… I can't… And Sara…" Oliver's voice dropped off and he was staring at the floor again. "Maybe it wasn't right to try again… I don't know… I just, I can't be with someone who keeps secrets from me… Not secrets like that…"

"That really limits your options," Diggle told him. "And for the record, you're not my type."

Oliver, for the first time, in Diggle didn't know how long…Oliver looked up and smiled up at him for a brief second. "Maybe I just don't deserve to be with someone…"

"Do you really think that's true?" Diggle asked. He waited a moment before adding. "I think Felicity…and Thea would have a different thought."

"Maybe."

"Am I interrupting?"

They both looked towards the familiar British voice. Diggle shook his head. "No, we were just talking… Just wanted to check in… I can go, if you need—"

"No, stay," Oliver requested.

"Okay," Diggle said quickly. He thought it was a good sign that Oliver wanted him to stay. Plus, it would give him more knowledge of what was going on if he didn't have to try to find out what was going on later.

Walter sat in a nearby chair. "I just wanted to check on you, Oliver," Walter said gently. "I told your mother that I would help her with the arrangements for Thea and Felicity's service…"

"They're out there," Oliver said quietly.

"I feel that way as well, Son, I do," Walter told him. "Unfortunately, this is something that your mother feels like she needs to do… I've found that it's best to let her do it."

Oliver just nodded.

"But I also wanted to talk to you about Queen Consolidated."

"I can't THINK about the company right now," Oliver told him honestly.

Diggle wanted to tell Walter that he's been concerned about it as well, but he kept his mouth shut. Of course, they also had other reasons to be concerned. Isabel Rochev who was really Talia al Ghul was at the top of the shortlist. There was no way that they could go back to QC and face her and there NOT be a scene. Of course, that scene COULD involve throwing Isabel out a window…and really, Diggle wouldn't mind watching that.

"Then there should be arrangements made."

"Isabel can do it."

"Oliver," Diggle scolded as he glared at him a bit. "You know that's not a good idea."

"I have to agree with Mr. Diggle on this," Walter told him.

Oliver got up from where he'd been sitting on the couch and started to pace a few feet from where they sat. "I just… I can't worry about it right now. It's just a company…"

"Your father built that company," Walter reminded.

"I know," Oliver said as he came to a stop. He turned to Walter. "Isabel. The board. They should understand. I just need some time."

Walter nodded. "Perhaps you could draw up some kind of letter…"

"Not right now…"

Diggle knew now that Oliver was screwed up a lot more than he'd originally thought. He really shouldn't be surprised, but he was. He'd been hoping that Oliver, especially with the help of well, anyone…would pick up the pieces and push forward. Diggle was fairly sure that it wasn't just because there were going to be services…or that this might all have to do with Slade playing mind games with Oliver, but rather that it was Thea and Felicity.

Diggle knew that even though Oliver hadn't been as close to Thea as he seemed to have been when they were younger, he still adored her. Part of the reason that he kept her at arm's length was because he was trying to protect her… Oliver felt guilty and he got that…but in the end, none of that would matter when they finally found her.

And Felicity…

Well, he had thoughts on that, but he had a feeling that Oliver wouldn't confirm or speak on them. But Diggle saw how they were together. He saw how she made him better and how he made her stronger… He saw how she hurt when he was with Sara. And he saw how he'd go to any lengths to keep her safe.

"Even with everything that's gone on," Walter spoke up after a couple of minutes of silence. "With the circumstances… Isabel could still push to take Queen Consolidated for Stellmoor International."

"So, keep it from happening," Oliver said quietly.

"I can't anymore," Walter responded. "I'm not CEO."

"You could be."

"I have other obligations now, Oliver," he explained.

"Please," Oliver practically begged.

"If I could, Son," Walter said gently. "If it were in my power. Then, I would…"

"Then let Stellmoor have Queen Consolidated," Oliver said finally. "I can't… I can't be CEO… I can't just go in and fight with that woman and pretend that my world isn't falling apart… I can't pretend like two people that I love aren't out there…somewhere…"

Diggle just stared at him and wondered if he'd realized that he'd used the L-word. He hadn't only been talking about Thea, but Felicity as well. He felt like that was a good sign and hoped that that would motivate him…in a good way. Time would tell on that though.

"Ms. Smoak…you know, she fought for Queen Consolidated…whether you know it or not," Walter told him as he got to his feet. "I'm sure she'd be disappointed and even upset to know that her disappearance shifted your attention enough to lose the company."

"I just…." Oliver spoke up. He clearly didn't know how to explain himself. Diggle had a feeling that it had to do with the fact that he couldn't bring himself to really say his true feelings for Felicity out loud.

"He's right, Oliver," Diggle said, knowing that Oliver wasn't going to appreciate being ganged up on. The fact was, though, Walter was right. Felicity wouldn't be happy about it.

"What do I do? I can't go back to sitting behind that desk…not now…" Oliver told them both before leaving the room.

Walter let out a sigh before looking his way. "Well, I suppose we tried… The best we can do now is hope that he comes around…or that Thea and Felicity are found and returned to us."

Diggle nodded. "We can only hope."

. . .

TBC…


	13. Week Three: Everyone Copes Differently

DAY FIFTEEN

Diggle and Sara had arrived at the services together. Moira Queen and Walter Steele were already there when they arrived early. It was being held on the Queen Mansion property in the gardens. There were photo colleges of both Thea and Felicity along with flowers adorning the area. Diggle wondered where they managed to get the photos of Felicity.

"We weren't expecting anyone so early," Walter announced.

"We wanted to make sure we were here early enough in case you needed anything," Sara said and then was hugging Mrs. Queen. "I'm so sorry about Thea…"

"I think everything is in place," Moira responded as she held Sara for a long time. It was clear that she'd already been doing her far share of crying and that she was trying to hold any new tears back. "Thank you for coming."

"Of course," Sara responded as she took a step back. "It looks beautiful," she commented.

The flowers were bright and nothing about the set up was dreary. Diggle thought it was better that way; it seemed more a celebration of life rather than doom and gloom. He was still hopeful that Thea and Felicity would be found, but he knew that this was what Mrs. Queen needed right now. "If I can ask? Where did you manage to get all of the photos of Felicity?"

"Oliver and I contacted her mother, it took some doing, but she forwarded about half of the photos," Walter explained. "Then Oliver and I went over to her apartment where we gathered the other half we're using. Her mother didn't request anything sent to her, so Oliver asked that we retain it. He and I boxed everything up over the last couple of days," he said. "Oliver said he was going to store it in the basement of Verdant."

Diggle nodded slowly. Felicity never talked about her family. Never. Diggle had always thought that they were either gone or they were not on good terms. He had always figured that when she was ready or needed to talk than she'd open up to either him or Oliver.

"Will her family be coming?" Sara asked the question that he'd been wondering.

"Unfortunately, no. It is my understanding that it is just her mother who is still living," Walter answered.

"But she's not coming?"

"No," Walter replied. "We even offered to pay her expenses, but she was not interested."

"That's odd," Diggle spoke up.

Moira shrugged in response. "Everyone mourns in their own way. Losing a child is something you can never prepare yourself for, even if you've been through it before."

"And I didn't feel the need to push it," Walter added. He put an arm around Moira and then looked about. "Is Oliver in the house?"

"I don't know," Diggle responded. "I assumed he was."

"You didn't bring him with you?" Moira asked.

"No," Diggle responded and could see worry on their faces. "Why don't I call him?" he offered before pulling his phone out and walking away.

He dialed Oliver's number and held it up to his ear. It just rang. Every time, he got voicemail. He finally decided that he'd leave a message. "Oliver, it's me. I'm with Walter and your mother. They're worried that you're not here yet. Call me back." After he ended the call, he immediately texted him.

Diggle knew Oliver. He knew he was in pain. He also knew that he was clinging incredibly hard to the hope that both Thea and Felicity would be found alive. It was more than that, though, it was the guilt he felt over their dual double abduction.

When people started to show up, Diggle stayed close to Sara, but kept an eye out for Oliver. It seemed like everyone was there except for Oliver. He had thought about pinging his cell phone and trying to convince him to come, but he knew that wouldn't do any good. Oliver had to deal with things in his own way even if no one else understood.

Certain people caught his eye as they arrived. Quentin, Dinah, and Laurel Lance all arrived together. He was surprised to see Dinah Lance there, but he figured it was a surprise to Sara as well by the look on her face. He knew that he had been pretty much the only other person that she'd been talking to lately.

"Excuse me," Sara said as she left him and made her way towards her family.

Diggle hoped that maybe this would help Sara a bit to cope. He knew that she shared in the belief that Thea and Felicity were likely out there, but she was also coping with her break-up with Oliver. It was hard to be so strong, but he knew that she'd been trying to keep her focus on helping him search for a lead. Any little clue that might take them to another breadcrumb.

They hadn't found any clues.

Roy had also shown up and so far was sticking rather close to Mrs. Queen. Diggle knew that it had been hard on Roy, Thea was gone and she was the person who steadied him. But like with Sara and Oliver, everyone had to process and deal with things on their own terms.

And then the unexpected…

Amongst the mourners, Isabel Rochev…

Diggle didn't know how she could even THINK about showing her face. Maybe she thought that Sara hadn't told them or maybe she just figured that they wouldn't make a scene. She'd be right about that. Diggle wouldn't even let her ruin the day of life celebration that Mrs. Queen needed so badly. He moved to intercept her and noticed out of the corner of his eye that Sara had noticed her as well. Sara was breaking away from her family and making her way towards Isabel as well.

"What do you THINK you're doing here?" Diggle asked lowly once he got to Isabel.

"I was invited," Isabel responded matter of factly. Her tone was even and calm and Diggle found that was pissing him off even more.

"We KNOW who you are now," he said in a dangerous yet low tone. He didn't want to ruin anything or start a scene. With Sara at his side, though, he wasn't sure if it could be avoided. If Roy noticed Isabel then he was certain that there would be a scene.

"Talia," Sara greeted.

"Sara," Isabel replied. "That's what they call you here, isn't it?"

No one said anything.

"I see you've told them," Isabel said.

"Why are you working with Slade?" Sara finally asked.

"Better question," Diggle spoke up quickly. "WHO took Thea and Felicity? Where are they?"

Isabel started to laugh lightly. She stopped a moment later and stared at them quite seriously. "Oh...you don't?"

"No. If we knew, then we'd have them," Diggle told her and was having a really hard time not punching her in the face. "There would be no need for all of this."

"Sara here knows him," Isabel said as she looked right at Sara.

"It could have been anyone," Sara argued.

"Can everyone take their seats please?" Walter's voice spoke loudly in order to start the services.

"I should go take my seat, so I can pay my respects," Isabel told them.

"Tell us," Diggle pushed.

"If you haven't figured it out, then you don't deserve to find them," Isabel said as she pushed past them.

Diggle caught Sara before she could do anything stupid. "Let her go…for now," he whispered.

"I don't know who it is," Sara told him. "At least I don't think I do. I told you, he reminded me of Merlyn…but that could mean nothing."

"Look, we can discuss this later," Diggle told her quietly. "But we can't make a scene…not today…not in front of all of these people… We can go after Isabel…or Talia…whoever she is…and even Slade… Not today, though." He was fairly sure that it would end the same, though. Either they'd all wake up beaten fairly badly or they'd actually end up killed. The last time he'd been lucky while the others had taken the real blows. "We should take our seats."

"Oliver never showed up."

"I noticed," Diggle said as he put an arm around her and led her towards their seats.

The service was starting and Diggle thought that maybe this would be good for all of them…even if they didn't all believe that Thea and Felicity were dead. He put an arm behind Sara and tried to relax. It was hard, but he had an eye on Isabel, just in case.

"I know it says in the booklet that Oliver would speak today, but I'm afraid that he didn't feel up to joining us today," Walter explained towards the end of the service. "So, I'll open it to anyone else who might want to speak."

Diggle hadn't planned on speaking, but he felt like it was his duty, especially without Oliver showing up. He stood and Walter nodded in acknowledgement as Diggle made his way up to the podium. When he got up there, he suddenly felt a lot more emotional than he had five minutes before. He held onto the podium and took in a deep breath. "My name is John Diggle and I knew both Thea and Felicity, though I knew Felicity a bit better. I know that Oliver would have said some beautiful things about both of them…this is hardest on those who knew them both because they lost two people they loved." He paused for a moment.

Without Oliver there, Diggle had felt like it was up to him to say the words that he knew that Oliver would have said if he'd been able to make it. Even if Diggle still believed that they were out there, this was for Moira Queen and other people who desperately needed this in order to move on…even if it was for another day, week, or month…whatever they needed to keep going until Thea and Felicity were actually found. Looking out at those who were attending the services, he was sure that most likely none of them knew Felicity. Only Team Arrow knew her…really knew her… It made him a sad to think about that, so he tried to push it down. Felicity, he told himself, would have plenty of time to show the world who she was.

"For those who knew Thea, they knew that Oliver adored her… I don't think I've seen siblings that were ever closer or loved each other as they did. Thea was a beautiful and intelligent young woman who had a special talent for making people smile. Her smile was almost contagious. Like all of us, she had her wild phases, but she grew up… That's how I like to remember her…the beautiful young woman who was strong enough and smart enough to do more with her life…to take her brother's nightclub and make it into more. To believe in people, even when sometimes they had a hard time believing in themselves, she and Felicity were a lot alike in that way."

He knew that there was more that Oliver would say. He'd know a story to tell. As he wished that he had something like that to share, he realized that this was the second service this year that many of these people had been to. Diggle was sure that most of these people had gone to Tommy Merlyn's funeral. He knew that Tommy Merlyn had grown up in the same circles as Thea and Oliver.

"I don't think many of you had to chance to meet Felicity," Diggle said and realized that his voice had broken a bit. He was certain that she was out there, but it was like it had just suddenly hit him. That they could both be gone. That this could be it. He took a moment to breathe and gather himself. "Felicity was more than someone in the IT department at Queen Consolidated and more than Oliver's executive assistant. She was smarter than most people I know. Felicity didn't have a filter and sometimes the wrong thing could come out of her mouth," he said with a smile as he thought back to those moments. "It was always something that made you smile or laugh though… And she was true. Felicity was like one of those people in mythology…the ones that had to pass tests that were true of heart. Felicity was one of those people."

Again, Diggle paused. He knew that he could say so much more about Felicity, but he knew that that was good for now. Walter had already done such a lovely job; he just wanted to be able to say something. He wanted to make sure that people thought more of them.

"Thank you for letting me speak," Diggle said finally. He stepped down and headed back to his seat. He had seen before that Roy was up with Moira and Walter and now as he walked back to his seat he noticed how upset he was. He wondered if Roy really did believe that they were dead.

He was happy to see that Isabel was still in the back. He really didn't think things would go over well if she was up front near Roy. The last thing they needed was for Isabel to approach Moira, Walter, or Roy. He'd make sure that he kept an eye on her. Diggle was sure that he and Sara could keep her from making her way up there later. It was just going to take some watching.

Sitting back down next to Sara, he let out a deep breath. She put her arm around him and squeezed a little bit. "We're going to find them," she whispered.

And he knew she was right, he just wished that it would be tomorrow. Diggle really didn't know how else to help Oliver. He was back on that island… Oliver seemed to have morphed into this dark person that none of them knew. He wasn't the same without Thea and Felicity. Diggle had felt like it was because Thea was the innocents that he tried to keep safe while Felicity was his heart… Without them, he was a man without a soul or a purpose…

And that made him dangerous.

To the rest of the world.

And himself.

. . .

DAY FIFTEEN

Diggle walked down into the Foundry and found Oliver there busy. "You missed the services…" he told him.

"I couldn't—"

"I know," he responded before Oliver could stumble any further. Diggle knew and he didn't need Oliver to torture himself anymore over trying to explain himself. He hated to think of Oliver or any person as broken, but that was exactly how he was without Felicity and Thea.

"Where are you going?" he asked as he recognized the box that Oliver was packing as he walked further into the Foundry. The box was something that Oliver had brought with him from Lian Yu. Diggle knew that Oliver still kept things in there, but now he was packing it. The bow that Felicity had specially ordered for Oliver was already packed.

"I don't know yet."

He knew that Oliver was honest.

"Isabel was at the services," Diggle told him.

"Don't you mean Talia?"

Diggle nodded as he walked around to get a better look at what he was packing. It was then that he realized that the suit wasn't in the case anymore. The Arrow was leaving Starling City, but for how long? On a mission to find Thea and Felicity? Or out for revenge?

"Right," Diggle said after a moment. "She said she was leaving town."

"Good," Oliver told him as he continued to busy himself with his packing.

"You didn't ask about the services," Diggle brought up as he leaned against the table the box was setting on. He was trying to gauge Oliver. He needed to know as much as he could because Oliver was going to go out into that world and he needed to know at least…have an inkling of where he might go.

Lian Yu?

Somewhere else?

Searching?

"I'm sure it was beautiful," Oliver replied evenly.

"It was," Diggle told him. "I even said some things…"

Oliver stopped and turned to look at him. "Why? You know they're out there…"

"You weren't there to speak and I felt like I needed to step in."

"That was…kind…of you…"

"You sound surprised," Diggle said as he crossed his arms over his chest as he stared at Oliver. Oliver was just staring at him and Diggle was a little amused about it.

"More like confused."

"Why?"

"You know they're out there."

"But your mother needed this," Diggle explained. "She might have done a lot of things…but she doesn't deserve to be in as much pain as she's been in… I've seen it. She's suffered… I figured that she at least deserved this day to go as she had planned."

"Did Sara go?"

Diggle nodded. "All of the Lances were there, even Dinah. Came all of the way from Central City… She wanted to be here for your mother. They're all at lunch right now."

Oliver nodded. "Roy?"

"He sat up with your mother and Walter."

"How did he seem?"

Diggle shrugged. "He was upset… I don't know how he feels about what the news has been putting out there. I've seen you more than him, oddly…though, not by that much. Maybe he needed to have something to help him steady himself…"

"Did he seem like he was out of control?"

"I don't know," Diggle told him honestly. "He stuck with your mother and Walter the entire time. He didn't see Isabel…Talia…whatever we're calling her… So, there wasn't a scene, if that's what you're getting at… That doesn't mean he won't explode and start taking on anyone who he thinks might know something later…"

"I'll get to them first," Oliver responded.

"What does that mean?"

"I can't just STAY here."

"Sara and I have been down here everyday trying to find SOMETHING," Diggle told him. "We haven't found anything yet, but that doesn't mean anything… We're going to find something… We just have to keep trying."

"I can't just stay here, Diggle," Oliver told him with frustration deep in his voice. "I can't—"

"I know," he responded a little sadly. As much as Diggle wanted Oliver to stay in Starling City and work with them to find clues, he knew that he couldn't. It wasn't in him, not now. "But can you at least take your phone? Check in when you can?"

Oliver nodded slowly. "I'm going to find Ra's al Ghul."

"What?"

"Nanda Parbat."

"Oliver, you can't be—"

"I don't care if I have to join the League of Assassins to get close enough to find out where they are," Oliver told him. "I'll do anything to get them back."

"I know you will," Diggle said quietly. "But…think about that. You're going to go to where Isabel might be and just try to join their club in the hopes that they'll tell you?"

"I didn't say it was a smart plan."

"Or easy."

Oliver frowned as he looked at Diggle for a long moment. "What would you do?"

Diggle sighed and shook his head before taking a deep breath. "Anything and everything I could to make sure that I could bring them home…"

"You'll take care of things?"

"What about Queen Consolidated?" Diggle questioned. It still worried him that Oliver just didn't care about it. They obviously couldn't go after Isabel in public. Yes, they knew that she was working with Slade and that she was Ra's al Ghul's daughter, but the public didn't know that. They didn't know that they'd abducted Thea and Felicity to begin with. There was no way to go after her publicly. She was getting everything she wanted as far as Diggle could see.

"My mother can take care of it."

"She's not the CEO. You are."

"I can't be. I can't even think about the company," Oliver told him. "If Isabel wants it so bad for Stellmoor, then let her take it…"

"You don't mean that."

"Right now, I do," Oliver told him. "It doesn't matter… None of it matters… The Queen name… The money… The mansion… None of it matters without them here…"

Diggle had half expected him to break down right then and there, but he didn't. Maybe he'd finally gotten to the point where he just couldn't be emotional anymore. Whatever it was, he knew that it was better that he wasn't chasing bad guys around The Glades or Starling City. The last thing he needed was for the Arrow to go back to killing people…especially people who did petty things.

"Do what you need to, but don't forget about Thea and Felicity—"

"I can't—"

"I mean, I don't want you to forget them. The way that they would expect you to act," Diggle told him. "Felicity wouldn't want you to kill people because—"

"I know."

"Just…keep them in mind…wherever you find yourself." Diggle moved towards where Felicity usually sat down there in the Foundry. He didn't know if Oliver had taken something of Felicity's from her apartment, but Diggle wanted to make sure that he'd be able to keep her in his thoughts. He grabbed a photo that had been taken of him, Felicity, and Oliver. They had gone out to dinner one night and they were taking pictures of people at their tables. Felicity had wanted it since they didn't get pictures together since he and Felicity were supposed to be employees of Oliver. "Here," he said.

Oliver took the picture and stared down at it. Diggle hoped that how happy Felicity looked in the picture would keep him from going to too dark of a place. "I'm worried of how I'll find them…"

"They're strong."

"I know," Oliver responded. "But will they still be that strong when we get to them?" He looked up at Diggle. He knew that if anyone touched Felicity or Thea, that they'd be dead. Oliver would see to it. In all honesty, Diggle would too. "And they're going to come home."

Diggle grabbed Oliver for a hug. "Go out there and find them then."

"I will."

. . .

DAY SEVENTEEN

"You know you don't really have to catch me up on six years of movies," Sara told him.

"What else do we have to do?" Diggle questioned as he moved from the kitchen to the couch, snacks in one hand and two beers in the other. "We need the break from those computer screens…"

Oliver had left and Diggle hadn't told Sara anything. It wasn't that he was trying to keep it a secret; he just didn't think it was the best idea to know that he might be going after the League of Assassins in his own way. The last thing that they needed to was for Sara to try to intervene. Sara had actually died and then had been brought back (though it hadn't been the first time she'd died) in order for Nyssa to finally release Sara. Diggle really didn't need them to risk Sara's life on top of Oliver's… Diggle just hoped that Oliver would check in like he promised…and wouldn't do anything too stupid or too dangerous.

Sara laughed as she looked over at him, helping him by taking one of the beers. "I doubt that TV watching is going to help our eyeballs recover," Sara told him. "Though…it might help the brain cells…"

"And our backs…" Diggle said as he settled on the couch next to her.

"You know, you can ask me anything," Sara said unexpectedly.

Diggle looked over at her and was a bit confused. He'd already started the movie and he'd been ready to skip to the menu screen, but left it to play through previews when that came out of her mouth. "You mean about Isabel?" he asked.

Sara nodded. "Or anything else. I know that you guys just sort of took me in with just Oliver's word that we had a past…and—"

"Felicity and I are sort of used to secrets slowly being given to us by Oliver," Diggle told her. "What happened on that island obviously is still haunting him…and eventually, I hope he trusts at least us with what it was…"

"It haunts us both," she responded quietly and looked down at the beer between her hands.

"Why didn't you tell us about Isabel? You took Oliver out to lunch that day and I know you were in the room with her…" Diggle said. He was certain that she'd have some reasoning even if it were something that he or anyone else would accept. He figured he might as well hear it now.

Sara was quiet for a moment and he wondered if she actually thought he'd ask her. "I was surprised when I saw her…and then how she acted…I just…I didn't think that she was actually going to do something. I never would have put her and Slade together. I thought that she was just working the business end of things… Ra's al Ghul is more than just the head of the League of Assassins, he has fingers into things all over the world… I just thought that this was one of them. I've never known Talia to use an alias, but…I guess it makes sense…"

"So, you just didn't think it was relevant?"

"If I told you all, then Oliver would have confronted her."

"You're right."

"And if she really was here just on actual business…"

"It still would have been better—"

"I know. I guess, it's also hard for me to leave behind that world even though I am glad that I was released from it. It was all secrets and darkness and killing… It was hard and after being on Lian Yu and going through all of that, I didn't think there would be anything harder…but I was wrong. Nanda Parbat was harder. Nyssa was the only good there… I mean, learning what I know was good, but it was more necessary than anything else."

"You know that I understand survival…and I also understand how you and Oliver seem to operate," Diggle told her. "That island took out a lot on you both…and whatever came after… You two just aren't used to living in the world that we actually live in…"

"I was going to say that we're both just screwed up…damaged…"

Diggle shook his head. "Maybe screwed up," he said with a smile. "But not damaged…not in any other sense than all those scars you both have…"

"There's something that's been bothering me, since the services…"

He tilted his head as he stared at her. "You're talking about what Isabel said?"

"That I know who it was…" Sara said. "But I don't. I mean, I'm not keeping it from you… If I knew, I would have told you or gone after them myself. Thea and Felicity don't deserve any of this… They're—"

"I know. You don't have to defend yourself to me on that," Diggle told her. "I know that you wouldn't do anything to intentionally bring harm to Thea or Felicity."

"I love them both. They're like sisters to me, in different ways…"

He nodded. "I know how you feel."

"All I go back to was that my first thought on that rooftop was that it was Merlyn, but Oliver killed him."

"Merlyn's not the only one who's supposed to be dead."

"Slade," Sara spoke up.

"Oliver and you," Diggle reminded. "Some people just aren't so easily killed…" He paused for a moment. "You know… Oliver asked his mother, thinking that maybe she'd know if Malcolm Merlyn were actually still alive. He seems to think that she's telling the truth saying that she knows nothing. But that doesn't mean that he isn't dead."

It was something to think about and then they could investigate it further later that night when they went to the Foundry. Diggle thought that he had the day pretty well planned on with being a couch potato while getting Sara caught up on movies, going for a run, sparring, and then researching. Food would be in there all throughout as well. They just needed some downtime. He knew that if they just stuck to pure research that they wouldn't be able to think clearly or make sense of anything. So, Diggle started the movie and tried to relax. They ate snacks and drank their beer.

They managed to get through two movies before changing and getting ready to head out for a run. Diggle had figured that it would be easiest to do it near his place and then head to the Foundry to do the rest. He was just tying his shoes when he heard his phone going off in the living room. "Sara! Could you hand me my phone, please?" he called as he finished up with his shoes.

"I got it," she called back and ran into the room, which he thought was odd, but she held out the phone to him. "It's Oliver."

He answered it immediately and had it at his ear. "Hey Man," he said and then stopped before he could say anything else.

"Diggle. I just got a phone call. I need you guys to trace it for me. Find out who's phone it is…where they are…if you can, where the call came from," Oliver rattled off quickly.

Diggle could tell that something had shaken him. "Sure thing, we're heading to the Foundry right now," he said as he motioned to Sara that they had to go. He knew that she wouldn't care. This was more important. He got up, grabbing his jacket and keys as he headed out of the apartment. "But Oliver, who called you?"

It was quiet for a long while, but Diggle knew that he was still there because he could hear crackling on the other end and Oliver's breathing. "Felicity," Oliver practically whispered. "I could hear Thea too."

"Felicity and Thea? You're sure?" He didn't miss the look that Sara gave him. They got into his car and he let Sara drive. Diggle didn't think that he could really think straight with what Oliver was saying right now. So, they really were alive… It wasn't just them clinging to hope. "What did she say?"

"At first, I didn't know it was Felicity…she was crying…and then she said my name and was trying to say something else," Oliver told him. His voice broke here and there and Diggle wasn't sure if it was for fear or for relief that he'd heard their voices and it was evidence that they were really alive. That everything that they'd been doing wasn't for nothing. "She must have been found because there was screaming and I could hear Thea telling them to get off of Felicity…"

"We're going to find them."

"I'm halfway around the world—"

"Hang tight until we find out where they are," Diggle told him. For all they knew, Thea and Felicity could be closer to him than they were to Starling City. "We're already halfway there… I'll call you back once we know something, okay?"

"I'll be waiting."

When he hung up, he looked over to Sara. "Felicity and Thea managed to get a call out to Oliver, but they were found out."

"That can't be good," Sara voiced.

"They've kept them alive this long."

. . .

TBC…


	14. One Month Later: On The Island

A MONTH LATER…

The sound of the water still terrified her.

Felicity knew that she couldn't let that fear completely take over her life though. Everyday they went out to the beach. Thea would always play in the water and she'd laugh and look like she was actually happy… The closest Felicity had managed to get herself into the ocean was her toes. She just couldn't bring herself to pushing herself farther. But Thea was smiling and laughing and she seemed free…

"You were quiet at breakfast."

"I'm always quiet at breakfast," she replied.

"Thea comes out here in a bikini…not that I'm looking at my baby sister that way," Tommy said quickly as he motioned with a hand. "I'm just saying… You're in that one piece that you're in everyday," Tommy told her as he motioned to her. "All I can think is that you're not telling me something…that you're purposely covering yourself—"

Felicity sighed. "He hasn't touched me since we got here," she confessed. She knew that Tommy was protective and that their currently living situations wasn't exactly what they were used to… It was so odd to her how she could get so used to two other people sleeping in the same space as her. Though, she had been loving having her very own space…her own sanctuary…

"You would tell me?" he asked.

Nodding slowly, she unwrapped her arms from around her knees and scooted closer to Tommy before letting her head fall on his shoulder and wrapping an arm around him. "You'd know… You don't have to protect me though, you know?"

"You're my sister…" Tommy said. "That's still REALLY hard for me to process…"

She smiled and she knew what he meant. She had this family now that was outside of Team Arrow and that just seemed odd to her, especially since they'd basically gotten so close in such a short amount of time because of the situation they'd been put in. "I just have to learn how to fight my own battles with him…who, by the way, I will never refer to as 'Dad' if I can help it…"

Tommy laughed. "Yeah, I find myself even having a hard time calling him that after everything… It's hard, though, for me because I know his heart is in the right place, but his mind…"

"Look at how happy she looks," Felicity told him and they sat there in silence for a while. They'd come out to the beach and pretend to be miles away from everything. Thea and Tommy would go into the ocean, while she'd sit on a towel in the sand and just watch. They spent the bulk of their days out there in the sunshine… It wasn't a bad life, she supposed, it beat being held prisoner on a boat…but that didn't mean that the island wasn't a prison too.

It might as well have been Lian Yu.

A lot of times they would bring a wagon full of their games and they'd bring whatever book they were working on reading. Lunch would a lot of times accompany them as well. The three of them really did try to stick to only having to eat inside the main house when it came to breakfast and dinner. This was their place to really be together. So far, they'd all stuck to keeping to themselves once dinner was over, but Felicity just put that to them all needing and enjoying having their own space.

"She looks happy…" Felicity whispered.

"I didn't think she'd ever smile like that when he first announced we were staying here…but that second day out here…" Tommy responded. "It's getting old, for all of us, I know…but still… How happy she feels…"

"Because it's the only place we can feel free," Felicity answered and she knew that he knew that. Nowhere else did it feel like disappearing was a possibility even if that wasn't really the case.

"When I watch you sit here, all I think is that you're staring at the horizon and wishing Oliver to come…" Tommy told her. "You know, you need to figure out how to live a little too…"

"He's still coming," Felicity said confidently. Most times when she fell asleep, she dreamt of that. Sometimes she'd wake up crying because she'd realize that it wasn't true.

"You have a lot of confidence in him," Tommy pointed out.

"He heard me…I know he did… But, Tommy…" Felicity lifted her head and turned to smile at him. "It's not just Oliver…"

. . .

The island was exactly what Merlyn had wanted and Felicity knew that. She hadn't expected anything less. Apparently there was one other inhabitant on the other side of the island, but everyone else…was pretty much security to make sure they were 'safe', which Felicity took as guards to make sure they didn't go anywhere. Even on the beach, there were always at least six guards.

The 'compound' was surrounded by a high wall and there were only two openings: one that was always locked that was meant to receive supplies through and the gate to the beach. Inside the compound was the larger house and four smaller ones. Felicity, Tommy, and Thea all had their own little house while the head security shared the final one, the rest of the security slept in the house at night who weren't on duty then. There was space though. It wasn't clustered tightly together, which was nice at least as far as Felicity felt.

She liked living alone in the little house that she called a hut. It had no electricity and she was still always surprised that there was any kind of running water. It had everything she needed though. There was a bedroom, small bathroom, and a small living area. She had bookshelves and all kinds of books. Merlyn had made sure that there were all kinds of books and games shipped to the island. Apparently they'd never run out of things to do.

That's not what she spent her nights doing, though.

Felicity would go to her hut and write a letter every night. Sometimes it wouldn't be even a page while other nights it would be pages upon pages… They were always to Oliver and she always saved them. They were kept together in a box in the back of her wardrobe.

Today though, she'd left the beach early and she was sitting alone on her bed reading through her letters to Oliver. Sometimes she just needed that. She needed to remind herself that he was coming…

Maybe it was because the days seemed so much longer there on the island…or maybe it was because it seemed like they'd never leave. Felicity hardly slept and when she did she always woke up screaming or crying and she doubted that was helping things at all. She needed this time alone, though. She was certain that Thea and Tommy were worrying, but she hoped that they'd understand.

She just needed to be alone.

. . .

Board games and books weren't the only things that had been brought to the island in order to occupy their time. There were every type of sports equipment, which included archery. Felicity had been going to the 'range', which was really just a target up against the back of the storage shed that held the equipment. She'd decided to give it a try a couple of days prior and had told herself that she was going to learn how to do it… Oliver and Sara always made it look so easy… There was also the fact that maybe it would come in handy one day… Not that she could ever take on the army of guards plus Malcolm Merlyn with an ordinary bow, but she could imagine it as she struggled to hit her target.

"If I knew you were going to be interested in this, I would have had a special one ordered and designed just for you."

The voice scared her and her hands shook. The arrow went flying in the wrong direction and towards a guard. She cringed and the guard jumped out of the way. She held up a hand and automatically started to apologize. "Sorry!" she shouted. Though really, she wasn't THAT sorry. Felicity turned her attention now towards Merlyn who was standing behind her. "I didn't know anyone else was out here…"

"I saw you from the window," Merlyn said as he pointed up towards a window on the second story of the large house. "I thought that maybe you could use some pointers."

"Maybe," she conceded and then thought about it. Crap, she was setting herself up for this now. She'd just practically invited Merlyn to help her.

"You're holding the bow fairly correct," Merlyn told her and motioned for her to hold it up again.

Felicity did, mainly because she was afraid that Merlyn would snap if she didn't. "This isn't the first time I've held a bow."

"I'm sure you've had plenty of time to watch Oliver Queen practice, but I'm even more surprised to learn that he hasn't taught you," Merlyn told her and she could sense him getting closer.

Felicity closed her eyes for a second and held her breath. She just wanted him to leave her alone. She opened them again. "I never asked."

"It gives us something to do now," Merlyn told her and she could feel his body within inches of hers and she just wanted to run.

"I'm not very good," Felicity said as she lowered the bow.

Merlyn's hands were on her now and her fear level was rising to the point of her having a panic attack. All she could think of how he'd treated her up to this point. He'd kicked her and hit her and threw her around and tortured her… He'd done nothing, but mistreat her. She knew that she wasn't safe with him.

"Nonsense!" Merlyn told her and started to instruct her. "Pull the bow back up in place." He waited and then he used his hands to correct her form, just slightly. "Now, the real trick to this is not to think so much… You might not be as accurate as I am now, but you'll actually hit the target if you just aim, breathe, and let go…"

Felicity wondered if she hit the target if he'd actually leave her alone. She didn't know. All she knew was that she needed to get through this before she threw up from the stress of his presence alone. She reached down and picked up an arrow from the bucket that current held a bunch of arrows. Trying to breathe, she put it in place before pulling the string back.

"Aim."

She tried to aim the best she could. Please hit the target, she thought. Felicity didn't know what she'd do…or Merlyn would do if she missed the target this time. Normally, she never went anywhere, but her little hut on her own without Tommy and Thea. She starts doing this and look what happens…

"Breathe."

Felicity wasn't sure how well her breathing was. It definitely wasn't a calm sort of breathing. It was more like she was holding her breath and then realizing that she needed to actually breathe.

"Let go."

She did and watched as the arrow flew the short distance to the target. It hit. It was off to the side, but it still hit it. Felicity had no idea how she'd done it, but she'd done it. She just hoped that with practice, she'd be at least a little more accurate.

"You're a natural," Merlyn said with pride.

Felicity wasn't so sure about that. She was leaning more towards lucky. "I'm sure Thea and Tommy would be good too."

"Tommy never did very well with a bow," Merlyn told her. "I tried to teach him while he was in high school still. It doesn't help when you don't have an interest though. " He was quiet for a moment. "I thought that he should know a skill and be able to defend himself and use weapons. He never understood it."

Felicity was fairly sure that she might not had at that age either. After all, who was going to take that seriously? Well, unless you were her and your boss fought crime at night using a bow and arrows… If you had nothing in your life to compare it to, then she could see how it could be confusing. In this day and age, guns were usually the more common and sometimes effective as far as weapons went. For Felicity though, she saw how powerful weapons that were not guns could be.

"I don't think that Thea would be interested in pursuing this seriously," Merlyn said a moment later.

"I think you're right," she said and felt like she should slap herself for saying such a thing. "We should all learn how to defend ourselves and use weapons." Felicity had felt this way while working as part of Team Arrow, but she felt like it even more now. What if she'd been able to defend herself before? To really be able to take on Malcolm Merlyn? She wasn't sure if that would have been possible, but maybe she could have been able to counter things a little easier.

"If I order you your own customized bow, will you let me teach you?" he asked.

Every fiber of her being yelled 'no', but she knew that this was an opportunity. This wasn't about him being her father or what he'd done to her. This was about her survival as well as Tommy and Thea's. This was about her getting back to Starling City. "Yes," she responded. She was quiet for a moment as she thought it over again. "But I wouldn't want to leave it in that shed… Something like that should be well taken care of…"

"I'm sure you'll find somewhere to store it," Merlyn told her. "I'll leave it up to you."

Felicity just nodded. This really wasn't going to be easy, but at least she'd be helping herself. There was also the point that she might be getting on Merlyn's good side, which would only help her. On the boat, Thea and Tommy had had special privileges. Here, she wasn't sure what would come of it, but so far he was going to have a specialized bow ordered for her. She'd happily take that.

"Again," Merlyn spoke up.

Her hand slipped down and her hand gripped another arrow. Felicity knew that she could do this. She had to. They were going to go home, no matter what it took. It was just going to take time.

Aim.

Breathe.

Let go.

. . .

Dinner had been less awkward and she had a feeling it was because Merlyn felt like he was connecting even though in reality she was using him. It was odd to think of it that way, but it was the truth. He'd seemed in good spirits and had tried to ask Tommy and Thea if they wanted anything that would help make things more comfortable. He'd also approached them about teaching them…they'd both turned him down. Tommy and Thea had both looked at her like she was crazy when Merlyn had shared that he was teaching her.

Crazy was one way to think of it, she supposed. She thought it was rather smart. She didn't have Oliver, so who better to teach her? Like Sara, Merlyn had trained with the League of Assassins.

She was 'home' alone. She'd changed into a t-shirt and panties for bed, but was busy sitting at her little desk with just a candle as light as she wrote her letter of the day to Oliver. It was almost therapeutic in a way, it gave her renewed hope.

Dear Oliver,

It's been a month since we've been on this island. I still hate it here. Half of the sounds make me feel like I'm going to have a panic attack. I keep telling myself that I need to be patient, to wait for you, that you're coming. You always come when I'm in trouble…

So, I've been waiting. I've been trying to keep Thea safe, as safe as you can be. Her having any time during the day where she can smile always feels like a win, even if it's only for a brief period of time. She doesn't talk about you…or Roy, but I think that's just because it's too hard for her. It's been so long and Thea never signed up for any of this.

This island is like the celebrity version of Lian Yu. It has all of these luxuries, but you're very much cut off from the rest of the world. The only two ways I see to get off of this island is either by plane or by boat. With all of the guards, that wouldn't be an easy task for us to attempt.

Merlyn is going to teach me how to use a bow even though being near him is terribly hard. I figured that we can't wait for you to save us the whole time. We have to take steps to save ourselves and at the very least, be able to help you when you and the others show up. I'm trying to hold onto hope, but sometimes it waivers. I can't help it. It's hard… I miss our computers and cell phones and electricity… I miss Digg… I miss Big Belly Burger…

And I miss you.

Still waiting,

Felicity

. . .

TBC…


	15. Awkward is the Word of the Day

"You know, I'm not going to hurt you."

Felicity was quiet as he approached and tried to weigh her options in responding. "You can't expect me not to be cautious," she said quietly. Merlyn had seemed better in the last week or so, but Felicity wasn't sure why. Was it the island air or was it because he thought they were all so happy? Whatever it was, she didn't want to push too far, especially not right now.

"I know that you don't think that the three of you can be happy here," Merlyn said. Felicity noticed that he was carrying not only a different bow, but arrows as well. Felicity could only guess that it was the bow that he used as the Dark Archer. "I think you'll find out that you really can be…if you tried…"

"It's not much of a life here," Felicity told him. "Thea misses Roy… It's hard to be alone," she tried to explain. Her tone was calm and quiet and even. She didn't want to set him off. At the same time, this was her chance to try to get through to him, if that was at all possible. He needed to see that this island…all the security…and the four of them, it wasn't living.

"You're not alone!" Merlyn told her firmly and held out the bow to her. "You have Thea and Tommy…and you have me."

Felicity took the bow and looked it over. "But if we're not happy?"

"If Thea wants this Roy, even if I don't approve, then I'll bring him here…"

"And then what?"

"Isn't it enough to just be happy for now?"

"No."

They stared at each other for a long moment and Felicity was terrified of what he might do. She knew that Oliver wouldn't back down from him and so she was trying to do the same. She also thought about how she wasn't going to settle for a life on that island. She didn't care how beautiful it was or how provided they were… She wanted more to her life…

She missed him.

She missed Oliver.

Felicity sucked in a breath and picked up an arrow before placing it, she held up the bow and remembered what she was supposed to do. Aim. Breathe. Let go. The arrow hit the target, though still not where she wanted it. She figured that it was still an improvement from before.

"I already have your bow and a better set of arrows coming for you," Merlyn told her in between shots. "It should be here soon…"

Holding the bow and pulling back the string, she focused on Oliver. She found that if she focused on Oliver and thought about Merlyn not being there and Oliver being there instead…her aim was so much better. Maybe that's really what she needed, Oliver there in spirit.

"Good," Merlyn cooed. "I told you that you were a natural…"

Felicity thought about how if she'd asked Oliver, how he'd have taught her in the Foundry. Oliver would have stood behind her, his toned body pressed against hers as his hands ran along her arms and her body to make sure that her form was correct. He'd have whispered in her ear and told her exactly what she needed to do. It would be hard to concentrate because…Oliver and his body pressed against hers…but at the same time, she knew that he would be patient and he'd keep teaching her.

"You've got this," she could almost hear Oliver whispering in her ear as she let another arrow lose.

. . .

"It's been a long while since we did this."

"We need to do it more often," Tommy told them.

Felicity smiled in response. "I have to say, as much as I like having my own place…I miss you guys being here all the time…"

"Sometimes I wake up and freak out for a minute because you two aren't there," Thea confessed. "And then I remember where we are…"

"At least there aren't cameras and listening devices," Tommy pointed out.

"That we know of," Felicity added.

Thea groaned. "Don't make me paranoid. I say some pretty nasty things about him when I'm alone."

Tommy laughed. "Only when you're alone?"

"That's fair."

Felicity smiled and shook her head as she looked over her cards.

"How about you, Felicity?" Tommy asked. "Letting him teach you archery? Everyday? How do you deal with that?"

"I try to remember to breathe," she said, her eyes not leaving her cards. It wasn't easy. She didn't want to let on how extremely difficult it was for her. She sometimes really had to concentrate on Oliver and think about him during their sessions, especially when Merlyn touched her in order to correct her form. There were times where she'd held her breath in order to keep from screaming or crying. She was a mess, she knew that, but she didn't want Merlyn to think that he'd broken her. She was still standing and she wasn't going to let him win.

"I have a hard time keeping myself from punching him in the face and that's only from having to deal with him at breakfast and dinner," Tommy explained. "I have no idea how you do it… I've dealt with him for years and I'm just…you deserve sainthood…or something."

"Well, I hate him," Thea said honestly. "I hate everything about him. I hate this place, even if it's better than that damn boat! It's one thing if this was some kind of imagined family vacation that took two weeks…but we've been here for over a month! A month! He's had us for closer to two! This isn't life! This isn't living!"

"Take a breath, Thea," Tommy prompted.

Thea took an exaggerated sounding breath. "Do you think Ollie told Roy?" she suddenly asked as she turned to Felicity. "Do you think so?"

Felicity shrugged. "I don't know… I would THINK that he would…"

"It's been months! What if he's decided that I'm dead? What if Oliver didn't tell him? What if he's moved on?!" Thea practically squeaked at the end.

"Roy's part of the team," Felicity told Thea. "He has the Mirakuru in his system… Oliver isn't going to just let him walk away. He's dangerous and he needs training. Slade Wilson is still out there and he's dangerous…far more dangerous than Malcolm Merlyn or Isabel…" Even though Felicity had tried to explain this all to them, it didn't seem to really be real to them. They didn't understand the type of danger and instability that came with the Mirakuru… How Roy could kill anyone just because his rage got out of control… Roy was dangerous and Oliver had taken him under his wing in order to save him…and to redeem himself in some ways.

"So, maybe they're too busy fighting this Slade?" Tommy asked.

"Oliver might not even know that Merlyn is alive," Felicity told them. "The last we knew, he was dead…"

"Oliver told me that he didn't kill my father," Tommy said. He looked at Felicity. "I know that I left him thinking that I hated who he had become…that he was a killer…but…"

"Oliver used an arrow to stab through his own chest in order to take him out before," Felicity told them both. "Oliver could have died…but he couldn't handle letting Merlyn destroy any more than he'd already destroyed…"

Felicity was purposely vague. She didn't think that Tommy needed to distrust Oliver because what he'd done, he'd done because he had to…and they'd saved part of The Glades. Merlyn might not be dead, but they'd thought that that was the end of it. Oliver could have easily died, just like Merlyn. She still wasn't sure how he'd done it so precisely.

"But you think they're looking for us?" Thea asked.

"I'm not there to help," Felicity responded. "I'm a lot…A LOT…better at doing all of the computer searching and hacking compared to the others…except maybe Sara…" She stopped for a moment. "Though, I still think in this case…I would be better…"

"But they're looking?"

"Oliver wouldn't ever stop," Felicity whispered as she looked directly at Thea. "Especially not for you."

"What about you?"

Felicity was quiet.

"Felicity…"

"You're his sister, Thea."

"You talk about Oliver like there's more between you two," Thea pushed. "Is there?"

"Oliver and I are friends," Felicity told her. "Partners, when it comes to the arrow business… But you know he's with Sara…"

"If Sara wasn't there?"

Felicity shrugged. "Oliver seems to always have someone on his arm…"

"He doesn't realize what he has then," Thea told him. "I'll smack him when I see him next. Maybe it'll knock some sense into him."

"Wouldn't that be awkward?" Tommy asked them. "Thea, your sister…dating your brother?"

"That doesn't mean that I can't smack him."

Felicity smiled. "It would probably be weird…for all of us…"

"You're not Oliver's sister," Thea reminded. "And you're my HALF sister…not that that makes a difference between US… I'm just saying… It's not like it's wrong in any way as far as having a relationship would go."

"But…Oliver and I are just friends," Felicity reminded Thea.

"I really don't like the thought of him dating you anyways," Tommy said.

"Protective older brother…where were you when I needed you when I was younger?" Felicity teased lightly.

Thea was right, though, it made it so much weirder if there was a relationship between her and Oliver. They shared a half sister, not that Thea was any less a sister to either of them. Felicity tried to push the thought to the back of her head because she really needed to be able to think about Oliver in good terms. She needed him there in any way she could imagine right now.

"Let's start the game," Tommy told them.

Thea set down a green card. "Creepy." Felicity and Tommy both put down cards and then Thea flipped them over. Thea laughed and then read them out loud. "Jerry Springer…or…Napoleon Bonaparte." She pushed the green card towards Felicity.

"You don't even know whose card is who's…" Tommy complained.

Thea shook her head. She pointed out his card. "Napoleon is not creepy…"

"Have you seen him in movies?" Tommy asked. "I mean, Jerry Springer isn't exactly creepy…"

"The content tends to be," Thea defended.

Felicity laughed. She was certain that this game would be more challenging and even more fun if there were more people playing. Right now, though, it was helpful for them to get to know each other even more. It was also nice to have new games to play together that weren't from the boat. Tommy always seemed to win most of those games anyways.

. . .

Tommy and Thea had left and Felicity had locked up. Then, she'd gone through and double-checked that everything was locked up. She went through the little house and blew out most of the candles that she had lit in order to light up her bedroom for their game night. There was something almost strange and even sometimes eerie at night when she was left alone in her hut.

Like Thea, she had somehow quickly become accustom to having them around. Even though the hut was small, with all its rooms it was just barely bigger than a standard hotel room. It felt so much larger than that. It felt even bigger than the large house that Merlyn stayed in. It seemed like she was so alone in a large space.

Felicity hated it.

She moved the final lit candle to her desk and started a new letter.

Dear Oliver,

Sometimes I feel closer to you than I think is possible on this island. Merlyn is still teaching me how to shoot, with a bow and arrows, of course. He even let me use HIS bow. I hate letting him teach me how to do it because really, it should be you. I guess I never thought about asking you to teach me before, but today…it was like I could imagine you standing there with me. I could feel your strength and your calm. I could hear your voice in my ear…

All I can think is that maybe…just maybe I could get good enough. Of course, it wouldn't be as good as you were when you left Lian Yu. I really don't want to spend five years here. Though, I have to say…it really has a lot of pros over Lian Yu. So, there is that. But I think about how if maybe if I learn how to shoot…how to actually hit my target accurately, then maybe I can do something to help.

I know that you're coming for us.

You're just taking your time.

I'm hoping that you and Diggle are really learning to appreciate me. With my absence and all, unless Sara is doing an awesome job…then that's not as helpful as I hoped. I guess I miss being indispensible. Right now, learning how to shoot is the closest to being good at something I have here. But I miss it. I miss my computers and I miss my job. I miss being good at that. I miss making a difference…

I miss you.

Tonight, Thea brought up you. About how maybe there was something between us and I told her we were just friends, because we are. We are friends and I like to think that we're very good friends. You're with Sara or at least you were when I last saw you about two months ago… Though, who knows now… But she got me thinking…

I don't think I've actually hidden how I feel about you, Oliver. I'm far too truthful with you. That's a good thing, I think. I have no idea if you would think of me in the same way, especially knowing that I'm Malcolm Merlyn's daughter…and Thea and Tommy's half sister. Weird and awkward, I know. But then I thought, what if we never get home? What if something happens? What if somehow…you get these? I didn't want you to think that I didn't believe in you, because I do. I wanted you to know that no matter what, that it wasn't your fault. Merlyn would have tracked me down no matter if I worked with you or the Arrow…

And I wanted you to know that I love you.

I have for a while.

I hope that one day I can tell you that myself. If I'm lucky…and if I'm brave enough. Even if it's just to continue to be truthful with you.

Still waiting,

Felicity

Tears fell down her face and stained the paper. She tried to wipe them off of her cheeks in order to keep from smearing the ink. She found herself blowing on it to try a couple of spots. Felicity waited a few minutes and then carefully folded up the pages.

Felicity held the pages to her chest with one hand and picked up the candle with the other. She walked into the bedroom and set the candle on her nightstand before going to the wardrobe in order to put the letter away. Carefully, she made sure that the letter went into the correct place, so that it would hopefully be in order. She wished she had a calendar, so that she could be more accurate.

She was still completely dressed and took a moment to strip down to her panties before grabbing her t-shirt off of the bed. She pulled it on and then put her discarded clothes in their proper locations. Felicity hated the thought of going to bed, but it was part of her routine.

Felicity climbed into bed after pulling the covers back. She really didn't need blankets on that island. It was always warm enough to sleep on top of the bed, but she thought the sheets felt cooler. All of the covers were rolled to one side and she pulled the pillows around her. Sometimes she could convince herself that she wasn't sleeping alone…sometimes that made it easier.

Panic was already rising in her, but she took a breath and pushed it slowly out as she lay on her side, staring at the wall. She didn't have to sleep, she told herself. Felicity knew that she could do that…that she could keep herself up until she was so exhausted that she'd just basically pass out. She was certain that it wasn't the best thing to do, but she was always far too stressed out to go to sleep naturally on her own.

"What I wouldn't give for an iPod…or a white noise machine…" she mumbled.

Felicity was certain that 'ocean sounds' was an option on one of those white noise machines, but she wasn't finding the real life sound to be soothing…in any way… Though, she knew that that was for reasons that were really beyond her control. She really had no idea how she was going to get over that, even though she really wished that she could…

"Talking to yourself is also probably not the best thing," she told herself as she blinked a few times. She sighed and rolled onto her back to stare up at the ceiling. "Though at least I'm not answer—there I go..." Felicity sighed again and shook her head. "Maybe Merlyn's crazy is contagious…"

She knew that she was just being silly, but sometimes she wondered how sane she was going to be able to remain being kept by Merlyn. Felicity tried to focus on other thoughts. She thought about how Oliver would infiltrate the compound on the island… He'd probably jump out of a plane…and he'd probably do it much better than she had.

Oliver wouldn't be alone though; he'd bring Diggle…the team… They'd all be there. They'd come in through the beach entrance. There was a gate, but it wasn't as secured as the other gate was. She imagined them taking out guards left and right and slowly making through way through the compound.

Felicity liked to think that they'd take out all the guards outside and then manage to sneak the three of them out somehow without Merlyn finding out, only for him to wake up the next day alone with just the security in the bigger house. By then, they'd be already on their way home…and with any luck; Merlyn wouldn't try to take them again. He'd give up and let them live their lives…

She smiled and eventually, she just let the black take her over as her eyelids slid shut as she was unable to force them open any longer.

. . .

TBC…


	16. Coping and Hugging

The targets didn't shoot back, she knew that. Felicity kept thinking that she was doing better. She'd hit closer to the center of the targets and she was learning how to walk and shoot at the same time. That was a lot harder since she really wasn't all that graceful in the first place. There had been several times already that day that she'd tripped…and not over anything but the ground…and an arrow had gone off towards a guard. There had been much apologizing and she'd actually started to feel a little discouraged in her progress.

Merlyn hadn't been there when she'd started, most likely because she'd skipped going to the beach with the others. She had started earlier and had actually not wanted him there staring at her the whole time. Felicity had a hard enough time to concentrating when he was there, so she'd been hoping that if he wasn't, then she'd do better.

Staring down at the basic bow, she sighed. Felicity felt like she'd done slightly better with Merlyn's bow. She knew that he'd already said that there was a bow coming just for her, but she didn't know if that would help at all. She supposed she'd see.

"I'm impressed with your progress."

Another stray arrow and another guard moving out of the way. Felicity bit her lower lip and cringed. She turned to Merlyn. "You missed all of the almost killing people…and the falling on my face…" Felicity tried to remember that she needed to be normal. Which was extremely hard around Merlyn, so she tried to think that he was someone else. She wasn't sure who else he could be, but someone who wasn't Malcolm Merlyn. "I think Thea got the graceful traits…just…FYI…"

"As promised," Merlyn said as he handed her a new bow and a quiver filled with arrows.

"I didn't even hear the plane," Felicity said with confusion. She accepted them, slung the quiver over her shoulder before looking at the bow. Felicity set the basic bow down and took her time examining this new one. "Thank you," she added a moment later.

"Not everything comes in here by way of plane," Merlyn told her.

"Oh… I just assumed…" Felicity said. "Because there was a plane before…"

Merlyn just smiled in response. "I hope this helps…and makes you happy… I want you to be happy…"

Felicity sucked in a breath and turned, pulling the bow up into place and pulling back the string even without an arrow in place. "I might even be good enough to hit my target… League of Assassins, here I come…" she joked. It seemed like that was where a person went in order to become badass. She really could use some of those skills.

"Would joining the League of Assassins make you happy?"

The question caught her off guard. She turned, lowering the bow. She stared at him for a moment. "Let's face it, I'm not League of Assassins material…"

"You could be, if you let me train you," Merlyn offered. "You're smart, Felicity…and you're dedicated when you put your mind to it. Sara Lance wasn't anywhere near as skilled as she is now…that's because of the League…"

"I really don't think I could do the whole assassin thing…"

"You could," Merlyn insisted. "If you wanted it."

"I don't think I could kill someone," Felicity explained. "Not unless there were extreme circumstances…"

Merlyn smiled for a moment. "You're the reason why the Arrow stopped killing…"

"What? No… Tommy," Felicity said. "Oliver didn't want to kill anymore because of Tommy…because he saw him as a killer… He didn't want to be a killer…" She realized she was rambling, but at that point it was really too late to stop it. "I just told him that there had to be another way…"

"You ARE the reason," Merlyn said and nodded. "You're why he killed Veritgo… To protect you…"

Felicity just stared at him. "How did you know about that?"

"He left the courthouse…when Moira's guilt status was being debated," Merlyn said. "He did that to save you."

"He would have done the same for Digg."

"Would he?" Merlyn pressed.

Felicity felt anxiety rising in her and she really just wanted to walk away and stop the conversation, but she knew that she couldn't just walk away. She'd just gotten a new bow…and a quiver with arrows. This was their normal practice time. There was a reason why she was enduring this time with Merlyn…

"So…" she said as she turned and readied herself, the arrow was already in place. "Aim… Breathe… Let go…" she recited. It took her another moment before she let go and she did hit the target a lot closer to the center than she had been with the other bows.

"See…you could do it…" Merlyn said. "You just became a lot more valuable than I'd originally thought…"

. . .

"You don't have to do this, you now," Felicity said for…well, she wasn't sure how many times already she'd said that.

Thea hugged her without warning and held on. "You say that every time. Stop. You're my sister and if I can do this to help…then you're going to have to find a better way to get rid of me…"

After a moment, she reached up and held onto Thea too. She closed her eyes and savored that contact for a few minutes. She didn't know why she missed being hugged so much, it wasn't like she, Oliver, and Diggle were always hugging… She was starting to think that she'd have to change that when they finally got back…if…well, they were going to get back… So, there'd just have to be more hugging.

Felicity pulled back and she noticed that Thea looked even more concerned than before. She hadn't even realized that she was crying, but she had to have been because Thea was wiping away her tears. She was always trying to be strong and keep up the good face, mainly for Thea. She felt like she had to be strong for Thea.

"You know, you CAN talk to me…or Tommy…or both of us," Thea reminded her. "You're not alone."

She nodded slowly. "I guess I just didn't want to scare you…"

"You practicing with that bow," Thea said as she motioned to where Felicity had left her new bow and quiver on a chair. "With Merlyn…that scares me…"

"I should have had Oliver teach me," Felicity admitted. "But I was too busy doing computer things…and hacking…and admiring his abs…and I'm going to stop talking about your brother like that…"

Thea laughed. "He didn't used to look so muscle-y before…or…scarred…" she told Felicity. "Though, if it makes you feel less awkward… I totally thought of Tommy in a…romantic way…before he died…and before I knew we were siblings and all…"

Felicity smiled. "That does make me feel a little better."

"And kudos for you, Oliver isn't YOUR brother. So, when we see him next, I say you just go right to the part where you kiss."

"I'm hoping the next time we see Oliver will be with a green hood and arrows flying…not exactly the BEST time to be kissing…or trying to kiss…and Sara…well, I really don't want her kicking my ass in the middle of them saving us," Felicity told her.

"Well, I might just have to see who I approve of MORE to date my brother," Thea told her as she guided Felicity back towards the small bathroom.

"I don't think you actually get that decision," Felicity told her. Panic had already been rising in her and she knew it was stupid. Instead of her actually showering, this was what they'd been doing since coming to the island. Thea would come over and help her wash her hair and then once she'd leave, Felicity would use a washcloth to wash the rest of her body. The only time her shower ever got used was when they first got there and Thea had used it when they'd ended up staying together.

"You know what we need? A girls night," Thea told her like it was just another day in Starling City. "I'll even actually talk to Merlyn about nail polish and stuff like that…"

"You really don't have to do that," Felicity responded. She knew full well how much Thea liked to talk to Merlyn. She really didn't want to be the reason why. They already tended to have to deal with Merlyn far too much!

Thea filled up a bowl with water and Felicity pulled her hair out of the hair band holding it up and back into her normal ponytail. She pulled it forward and over her head. They'd tried this a couple of ways, but every time she'd had a hard time. Leaning over the sink face down had just seemed to be the quickest and most effective way of doing it. "Ready?" Thea asked quietly.

"Yes," she lied. Felicity was never ready for this. No matter how many times they did this or how necessary it was. It was much better than the alternatives though… Tommy had been trying to get her to venture into the water more when they went out to the beach, but Felicity was slightly more scared that she'd decide to try to swim for it and get shot rather than the actual fear of the water itself.

Slowly, Thea poured it over her head. She always did it a certain way, starting from the base of her neck and working her way forward. Her hand would work through Felicity's hair to ensure that it was all damp. Thea would hum a song and Felicity always wondered if it was in order to keep her calm, if Thea even realized she hummed. Every time she'd think to ask Thea what the song was, but by the time they were done, she'd always forget to ask.

"You can breathe," Thea told her.

She wasn't done though and Felicity hadn't even realized she was holding her breath. She never did. Thea always reminded her though. Felicity found herself coughing for no reason and Thea was immediately hauling her straight up. "I'm okay," she said immediately as Thea looked her over.

"You also don't have to be so strong," Thea told her. "I'm going to hug you for like an hour after this," she said quite seriously. Felicity smiled in response. "You can also read to me…" She raked her fingers through Felicity's hair. "Maybe we need a squirt bottle…just to wet the stuff we don't always get…though it looks pretty good right now," Thea said and sounded impressed.

Felicity could always do the shampooing part and as much as she hated it. This was one of those times where she was glad for 2in1 shampoo/conditioner combo. It never felt the same as actually shampooing your hair and then conditioning it, but she could live with it.

It took them about ten more minutes until Felicity's hair was deemed clean before Thea left her. Felicity knew that she was only sitting on her couch, but she always felt a little uneasy. She wasn't sure why. Maybe it was just separation anxiety. She stripped down and the first thing she always checked were her ribs. The side that had been beaten finally looked like it had healed. It had been bruised for quite some time, but finally it had lightened and now Felicity was sure she was just imagining the barely there splotching she could see because she knew where it had been.

Today, she took her time washing her body. It was always far less stressful than the hair portion. Her anxiety levels always plummeted and she found herself able to breathe and her chest not hurting so much. She'd noticed that ever since the boat, what Merlyn had done, that her chest and her lungs still burned….but she'd notice it more at certain times…usually when she was more stressed.

"You okay?"

"I'm almost done," Felicity told her.

"I'm not rushing you, I just wanted to make sure you didn't need help," Thea answered.

Felicity was redressing and sighed as she pulled a clean shirt on. "I feel like I need to show you and Tommy where the bruise was…just so you can breathe easier…"

"I trust you…because if it was still bruised, I'm pretty sure that would mean that you were dying or really sick or something."

"Comforting."

"Just saying…"

Felicity opened the door to find Thea standing right there. "So, where you serious about wanting me to read to you?" It had been quite some time since she'd read something like a book to anyone. She read things to Oliver and Diggle all the time, but not a novel.

"Do you not want to read to me?" Thea asked. She seemed to have this look like she realized exactly how childish that sounded. "The last time someone read to me was probably Walter…right after my dad died… I let him for a while…and then it just wasn't the same, so I asked him to stop."

"Walter can read me books anytime," Felicity said as she thought about it. "Could you imagine 'Harry Potter' or Jane Austen read with that accent?"

Thea giggled and nodded. "I've heard it. It's definitely better than the American version… But I was having a hard time… My dad used to always read to me growing up…"

Felicity nodded and they made their way towards the couch. "I used to read to myself growing up… I mean, I remember when I was really little that my dad—Merlyn…he read to me…but after that, I had to wait until I could read to myself. I used to read out loud and pretend someone else was reading to me."

"That's a little sad," Thea commented as they both settled to sit on the couch next to each other.

"Maybe," Felicity conceded. "But it was what I had…"

Thea scooted closer and wrapped an arm around Felicity before handing her a book. "You don't have Walter's accent, but how about 'Pride and Prejudice' just the same?"

Felicity beamed and took the book from her. "I love Pride and Prejudice."

"I would have liked to have an older sister growing up…especially when we thought both my dad and Oliver were dead," Thea whispered as Felicity opened the book.

She could sympathize. Felicity felt like she'd have faired a little better if she'd had a brother or a sister after her father had left her and her mother. She liked the feeling of Thea's arm around her and she had a feeling that neither one of them would miss any extra beach time, even if it had just been reading on the beach. "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife," Felicity began.

. . .

Dinner went about as well as it normally did. The three of them chatted and then whenever Merlyn was say anything, the three of them pretty much stayed silent for about five minutes after. He'd carry on a full conversation as if they were responding in the way he wanted though, which was fairly entertaining to listen to at the very least. She'd also noticed that he seemed to still be in good spirits even given their lack of communication with him. Maybe it was the island…

The three of them walked back to the huts together, they left Thea at her hut first. Felicity hadn't liked the looks that she or Thea got from some of the guards. She and Felicity were the only women in the compound. Even the cook was male. She supposed that it was much like a woman walking through a men's prison. It didn't make her too comfortable though. So, she was happy that Tommy would always walk them to their huts at night.

She was left at her hut and Tommy waited until she locked it tight. She always did and then pushed her short bookcase in front of it for good measure. These days, she didn't have Tommy or Thea missing her so much in the middle of the night, so it wasn't such a hassle to try to move later on. It was just part of her morning routine to move it back.

Sighing, Felicity looked around her room and then set her candle on the tiny 'coffee' table in front of the couch. She smiled as she saw the discarded book on the couch. They'd gotten about halfway through it before they had to go to dinner. There was a small piece of paper with a flower pressed into it that Thea had done when they'd first arrived on the island. Felicity picked it up and put it on the taller bookcase on its side, so it would be handy the next day if they decided to go back to reading it then.

She picked up her bow and held it up, positioning herself in the correct posturing. Felicity grabbed one of her arrows and aimed it through the door to her bedroom and right across from her. If this was someplace she actually loved, like her apartment back home, then she wouldn't do this…but she really didn't care if the hut had holes poked on the insides from her impromptu arrow practice. She aimed, breathed, and then let it fly. It hit pretty much where she wanted it, which amused her. Felicity was feeling better about it and it wasn't feeling so foreign. Maybe it was because it was HER bow that it made a difference…

Felicity shot off a few more arrows before finally collecting them and dropping them back in the quiver. She moved her quiver and her bow into her bedroom, though. She wanted them handy, just in case. It wasn't that she was paranoid; it just seemed to make sense to her.

In the other room, she moved the candle to her desk and sat down. It was time to write. She had a brief moment of wondering if it would even matter if she would miss a day… Felicity sucked in a deep breath and then slowly let it out. She knew that she was just getting upset thinking about how much time had already passed.

Dear Oliver,

I know it must be really, really, really weird that we share a sister…because whenever I think about it…it just seems weird. But I have to say; I can see why you adore Thea so much. You're so lucky to have grown up with her. I'm sure looking back on things, when you were younger you had thought she was a pain here and there. I can't even imagine what it would have been like to grow up with her…let alone Tommy too.

Today, Thea helped me wash my hair. Which sounds like something out of a movie where a girl makes the excuse that she can't go out because she's washing her hair…and her friend apparently has to be there… Though, thinking about it, this is far more pathetic. Thea's a Godsend though. I really don't think I could do the dreadlock look. Plus, it just doesn't seem like my hair would smell like I'd want anyone anywhere near me…let alone deal with it on my own head.

I might have broken down a bit. Thea's great, though, and I'm so glad that I know that I can hug her and cry and not worry about what she's going to think. I'm telling you now, there's going to be more hugging between Team Arrow. I'll probably hug all of you before you read this, but I'm stating it here in plain writing that that's going to happen. There's no denying me after I've been held captive on a ship and then an island for this long…plus, I've kept letters. If you'd kept letters on Lian Yu, then all those things you wanted to happen would be more need to be done. Just saying.

I'm getting better everyday using the bow. I really think having my own helps. I researched yours when I ordered it, so I know that the more customized it is to the user the more effective it is. Merlyn keeps saying I'm a natural, but I'm not sure if you can say that until people are shooting back at you and targets are moving unpredictably.

The guards here are seriously creeping me out. I don't know if it's me being paranoid or if they really are just creepily looking at Thea and I. I suppose it's a good thing that Tommy is with us most of the time. I also think that knowing that we're the 'boss'' kids is something going for us. It's still creepy though.

Sometimes I wonder how much of this I can take. I know you'd tell me to be strong…and I'm trying. I really, really am. But, can you do me a favor?

Hurry…

Still waiting,

Felicity

Folding the letter, she walked with it and the candle into her room. She put it safely away in the box and realized that she was going to need a new box fairly soon. Felicity stared at all of the letters before finally putting the lid on the box. She'd thought about putting them in bottles at one point and throwing them in the ocean. Her luck, Merlyn would find them…or they'd be found right after they were rescued.

Backing up, she closed up the wardrobe and headed towards her bed with her candle. She followed her bedtime routine of setting the candle at her bedside before changing and then finally crawling into bed. Felicity blew out the candle before staring at the wall and then finally the ceiling before eventually passing out.

. . .

TBC…


	17. Maybe

"You can't tell me that this isn't better than your archery lessons," Thea said.

Felicity beamed at her little sister. Tommy and Thea had practically threatened to drag her to the beach because of all the time she'd been spending with Merlyn. She had to admit, it wasn't hard to make that choice. She'd missed it, even if it was her mainly sitting and watching them in the water.

"I'll admit, I needed a day off…" Felicity replied. "Or at least half the day."

"No! We're doing girls' night later!" Thea said quickly and then looked over at Tommy. "Sorry, you'll have to stay in with your book…"

Tommy didn't seem hurt, but rather amused.

"I still have to practice a bit later," Felicity told Thea.

"Exactly, how good are you?"

Now Tommy seemed interested. How did Felicity even answer that question? She wasn't even sure she really had a scale to measure that on. "Better than Roy, but not as good as Oliver," Felicity came up with.

"Poor Roy," Thea said and then looked suddenly sad. "Roy…"

Felicity suddenly felt horrible. "Thea, I'm sorry…" she apologized immediately and her mouth hung open as she tried to think of more that she could say. "I'm so sorry… I'm so, so sorry…"

"It's okay," Thea said after a moment and seemed to shake it off. She pulled out sunscreen and started to pour it on and rub it into her already bronzed skin. "We're going home, right?"

"R-right," Tommy said before Felicity could even respond.

"Right," she finally spoke up. Felicity started to apply her own sunscreen. Whoever Thea got her skin genes from; Felicity did not have the same ones. When they did finally return to Starling City, Thea and maybe even Tommy would definitely look like they'd been on vacation… None of that really mattered to her; all she really cared about was the arms that she longed to have wrapped around her.

Oliver Queen.

The man who she'd followed and respected and devoted herself to…and even…loved… Their world had just gotten even more complicated. Felicity was the half sister of Oliver's half sister…along with the half sister of Oliver's best friend whom he didn't know had been brought back to life. Would he look at her differently? Would he—

"You okay?" Tommy asked.

Felicity snapped back to reality. It was hard for her to really concentrate on reality right now. She was trying her best, she was, but she didn't think it was horrible to let her thoughts linger. "Yeah…yeah…fine…"

"Please tell me that you're going to at least come closer to the water today," Thea practically begged Felicity.

"In a little bit," Felicity promised, though she was fairly sure that she was going to regret it later. Thea looked behind them and looked irked before getting up and heading for the water. She waited for a moment before scooting closer to Tommy. Felicity looked over her shoulder briefly before speaking up. "The guards…how they look at—"

"I know," Tommy cut her off.

"You've…seen?" she whispered.

Tommy stared right at her. "I've already talked to Dad about it," he informed her. "He promised to…talk care of it."

"Did he take you seriously?"

"I talked to him," Tommy said like it was the first time he'd ever talked to him. "That should be enough for him to realize how serious I am."

"Do you think I should say something?" Felicity questioned. In all honesty, she didn't want another reason to talk to Merlyn, but about this…she'd happily talk to him for an hour if it meant that he knew that they were all concerned and quite serious about it. This was really the first safety type issue that they were having and she thought it showed a lot for them to actually say something rather than just sticking close to each other.

"When?"

"During archery practice," Felicity told him.

"They'll hear you," Tommy reminded.

Felicity sighed and looked back at the guards at the gate for a moment. At least out there on the beach they had more distance from the guards. It was really the one place where they had the largest buffer, plus there was the noise of the ocean to help muffle them. She looked back at Tommy. "I could make it work."

"You need to be careful," he said and she could hear the worry in his voice.

"I'll be armed."

"So are they," he reminded.

She hadn't forgotten. All of the guards were armed with guns. They were supposed to be nonlethal she was fairly sure and she doubted that they were supposed to aim for the head or chest. "Don't worry so much," Felicity told him.

"You saying that is EXACTLY why I worry so much," Tommy told her matter of factly.

"Why are you worrying about me?"

"Do you want a list?"

"This protective brother thing is still something to take getting used to," she informed him as she pulled her bathing suit cover up off and then dropped it at her side. She saw Tommy looking at her and she knew what he was looking for, bruising. This was the first time he'd seen her midsection since she'd exposed the bruises. Felicity had decided that today she needed to push herself just a little bit and be okay with being uncomfortable…to an extent.

Somehow that had included a bikini.

"Doesn't Oliver worry about you the same?"

Felicity groaned. "Did you just imply that Oliver is also my brother?"

"THINK of you the same way I do?"

This was going to be interesting, that was for sure. Felicity got to her feet and Thea seemed thrilled. Actually, Felicity was fairly sure that this was the most excited that she'd seen Thea since they'd been taken by Merlyn.

"Seriously… You've been hiding yourself away!" Thea exclaimed. "You look PERFECT in that!"

"Too bad there's no salon on this island," Felicity told her. She could tell how long they'd been there, just by looking at her roots. She had a feeling that Merlyn had purposely left out that kind of supply, so that she would look more like Tommy, Thea, and Merlyn. She wasn't a natural blonde…and Merlyn knew that.

"Don't worry about it," Thea said as she took her hand. "First thing when we get back… Salon time… Believe me! Pampering through the roof is going to go on!"

"Ollie will come," Tommy said as he got to his feet.

Felicity looked over at Tommy. "Can you try not to be the disapproving brother for the rest of the day?"

"Oh, I can tell you all kinds of things that he did when we were younger that got him into ALL kinds of trouble," Thea told Felicity. "There's NO WAY you have anything to worry about. You ARE the good child!" Thea tugged at Felicity and the three of them headed for the water.

. . .

She had a feeling that she'd taken longer than she'd expected with Merlyn. He'd pushed her and pushed her. Thea was supposed to meeting her at her hut, Felicity was sure that she was already setting everything up for their girls' night. They did everything in Felicity's hut…they never went over to Tommy's or Thea's. She didn't know why…

Felicity went to push her door open, only to find that it wouldn't push easily. With about an inch open, she could see the bookcase that she normally pushed in front of the door at night was knocked over and the books that it normally housed were all over the floor. She used her shoulder and pushed harder. As the door gave way, she saw the reason for her 'living room' being tossed around. Thea was being held by her throat up against the far wall by one of the guards.

Not thinking about anything, but her sister, Felicity readied her bow, arrow in place. She was hoping that it would be enough to just scare the guard off. She'd tried to talk to Merlyn about this while she practiced, but he'd been too insistent that she really focus…and then it had taken longer than usual and she'd needed to run in order to meet with Thea. She was glad that she'd been in a hurry to leave. "Let her go," Felicity said slowly.

She realized as she stood there in the doorway that on her walk over, she'd thought it was strange that she'd seen none of the usual guards. They were normally at designated positions. They were so predictable that Felicity could draw a map with guard positions. Had they known this was going to happen? Had this been a plan and the rest of the guards were in on it? Was that why they were so scarce?

The guard laughed. "The girl who always tries to shoot us and misses…"

"I won't miss this time," Felicity promised.

"I think I'll enjoy my time with BOTH of you," the guard said before turning back to Thea.

Felicity knew that she couldn't count on any other guards that might hear her to actually help, plus she was risking someone coming to this guard's aid, but she needed help. She knew that Merlyn would likely torture this guard to death for even touching Thea…but he was likely all the way at the big house. Her only hope was if Tommy was in his room or possibly even sitting up in the sand on the beach. "Tommy!" she shouted.

The guard turned towards her and Thea took that moment to knee him and push him away. Felicity followed his movements with her arrow. She watched him and hoped that he'd run out of the hut. He didn't. Instead, he lunged back towards Thea.

Aim.

"Tommy!" she shouted again.

Breathe.

"Tommy!" Thea yelled this time.

Let go.

The arrow left the string of the bow almost without her realizing that it had just happened. It traveled across the room in what felt like slow motion. She breathed as she pulled out an arrow and readied it, just in case she didn't another one. The arrow connected with the guard, hit him in the chest. He collided with Thea, but she was pushing him to the floor a moment later.

Thea just stared down at him. Felicity slowly lowered the arrow and her bow. She stared at the unmoving body. What had she just done?

"Felicity! Thea!"

She heard Tommy, but her eyes didn't move from the body of the guard. What had she done? Felicity knew that she'd protected Thea. The guard would have done…he would have done what he'd planned to do with Thea if she hadn't stopped him. There was no other choice, she tried to convince herself. It wasn't working.

There was a commotion behind them, but Felicity didn't turn towards it. She was being pulled all of the way through the door and then guided towards the bedroom. Once she and Thea were safely inside, she turned to find that Tommy had been the one to get them into the bedroom. Thea was crying and Felicity, well, she just stood there. Tommy had pulled the door shut and was trying to push the wardrobe in front of it.

"Felicity!" Tommy yelled at her.

She snapped out of it and looked down at the bow, still in her hands. Had she killed him? She had never killed someone before…

Tommy was pulling the bow from her grasp and pulling the quiver from her shoulder. "Right now, you need to help me," he said slowly and calmly. "Do you understand?"

Felicity nodded slowly and moved to help him move the wardrobe. The sounds of men, most likely the guards, suddenly filled the other room just as they got the wardrobe into place. A moment later, there was thudding against the door and the wardrobe in turn.

"Dad will be here soon," Tommy told them.

Would it matter?

"Have I mentioned how much I hate him…and this island?" Thea asked before breaking down into tears in the far corner of the room.

She grabbed her bow and her quiver, she didn't know if they were going to be able to get in, but if they did… Felicity moved to the far wall as well, but stopped and sat against it in the middle, so she was only about three feet from Thea. Eventually, Tommy moved to sit between them as Felicity readied an arrow, even with the bow down…just in case.

They all just sat there in silence as the loud talking, yelling, and thudding continued.

. . .

Felicity didn't know how much time had passed. All she knew was that eventually, there was quiet in the other room. That didn't mean that any of them moved. She would occasionally look to the side to check on Tommy and Thea. Thea had her knees to her chest, her arms wrapped around her knees, and her head resting on top. She had since stopped crying since they'd first hidden away in her bedroom. Tommy had either been holding Thea or just sitting there. The whole time, they'd just sat there in silence.

How sobering it was.

It wasn't like any of them had thought that this was going to be the perfect peaceful place to live forever. They all very much wanted to go home. They had just started to feel a little more at ease… They'd let their guard down… They had still been cautious, but the surroundings had lulled them a bit.

Everything had changed in an instant.

Thea was okay, Felicity reminded herself. Untouched and unharmed. Or at least physically unharmed. Merlyn's security measures had failed to keep them safe. It seemed so ridiculous that he'd put them in place in order to keep them safe from the Arrow…and instead, they'd needed protected from the actual security.

A heavy knock.

They all looked up and across the room to the barricaded door. Felicity didn't say a word, but she got to her feet. Her bow and arrow in hand and ready to go. She watched as Tommy moved towards the door. Thea stayed back in the corner and down without Felicity having to say anything.

"Who is it?" Tommy called.

"Are you three okay?"

Malcolm Merlyn.

Time on the island…well, even on the boat…had been strange for them. There were no clocks or watches or cell phones to glance at to measure it. They just sort of knew when they needed to get up and go to breakfast, when was a good time to come in from a beach, and when to go to dinner. So, what had felt like nearly a whole day to Felicity sitting in that locked room with a shaken Thea and a worried Tommy might have been a handful of minutes.

In any matter, Felicity felt like he'd taken far too much time to get there and check on them. At the same time, she found herself thankful for her bow and her quiver full of arrows…and the lessons he'd been giving her… Without them, the outcome would have been vastly different…

She killed a man.

"We're alive," Tommy replied.

"Thea and Felicity? Did he—"

Not even Malcolm Merlyn could bring himself to speaking out the cruel and unthinkable thing that the guard had planned for Thea. His voice had trailed off and he went quiet for a few minutes. Felicity didn't care that he seemed worried or caring for them, her bow was up and ready.

"You're all okay?" he asked again.

"Yes," Tommy responded.

"Please, let me see you," Merlyn requested.

"We can't trust you," Tommy countered. "I trusted you to keep us safe! I told you about the guards! You said that you'd take care of it! You didn't and Thea—" Tommy went quiet. "You could have prevented it!"

"I know," Merlyn responded just barely audible through the door.

Silence.

"Please…"

Tommy looked to them and Felicity was torn. She knew…and could imagine what Merlyn would do to the guards involved. She wouldn't be surprised if there were dead bodies littering the compound right now. As much as she hated it…they needed Merlyn. She tilted her head a bit. She watched as Tommy moved the wardrobe just enough for the door to open just wide enough for someone to slide through.

He held his hands up the moment that he saw she had the bow up and ready, arrow aimed at him, and she wouldn't miss if he pushed her… Merlyn was dressed in black and was carrying the mask he wore as the Dark Archer. She assumed that he hadn't brought in his own bow because that might seem threatening. He was smart.

"I'm not going to hurt any of you," he said all too calmly.

"We don't believe you!" Thea yelled from where she still sat in the corner.

"Please, Thea…

"NO! You don't get to talk to me like my father! You did this to US! You brought us here! You have some twisted thinking that we all love you and we love it here! WE DON'T!"

Felicity really didn't feel like she needed to add anything. Thea seemed to be summing it up fairly well for all of them. But she kept her aim true.

"WE WANT TO GO HOME. TAKE US HOME!"

Merlyn looked between the three of them and he was silent for a long while. "I'll bring you dinner myself tonight—"

"TAKE US HOME!" Thea yelled again and broke down into tears again. Felicity would have normally comforted the hysterical Thea, but right now…she wasn't going to take a chance that Merlyn could be up to something.

"You still have to eat," Merlyn said calmly, directing his words mainly to Tommy, who just nodded in response.

"I just want to go home!" Thea continued to cry into her knees.

"Maybe," Merlyn whispered before slipping out of the room.

Tommy immediately pushed the wardrobe back into place and turned to them. Felicity lowered her bow and let out a slow breath. She turned to Thea and wished she could say something to make it better. Not even her normal 'Oliver is still coming for us' would work, she already knew that.

She was even starting to believe that he wasn't coming.

It had been so long.

They'd been through so much.

She'd killed a man.

. . .

Thea was fast asleep on her bed. Felicity had sung to her while she stroked her hair until she finally fell asleep. She'd been too hysterical to even eat. Felicity had managed to convince her that she'd feel better taking a shower…and Felicity had even sat in the bathroom. She had wanted to make sure that Thea wouldn't do anything stupid because of the state she'd been in. A set of borrowed clothes later, Thea was asleep on Felicity's pillow with wet hair.

"You did good, you know."

She turned to look at Tommy from where she sat on the edge of the bed. Her bow and quiver weren't far from her reach. "There might have been another way," she whispered sadly. Killing someone, even in defense of someone else, was something that you couldn't take back. It wasn't like an insult or a slur.

She'd ended a life…

Felicity knew that she'd have to learn how to live with that.

"Merlyn would have done much worse," Tommy reminded her.

"I know," she whispered. "But that still doesn't make it right…or the only choice…"

"What would Oliver have done?"

Without a second thought, she thought back to when The Count had her at Queen Consolidated. He'd threatened to kill her. Oliver had put three arrows in him and he'd fallen out a very high window. The Count had been the first person Oliver had killed in a long time and it was because of her. Felicity remembered how guilty she'd felt because of it. She'd been the one who had convinced Oliver that there was another way to be the Arrow and then she'd made him break his 'no kill' rule in order to save her.

"He would have killed him. He would have saved Thea."

"You said Oliver's different now."

"He's broken his rule about not killing," Felicity told Tommy. "He saved me…"

"Were you upset with him for doing it?"

"I was upset with myself."

Tommy was complete calm as he stared up at her from where he sat on the floor. "Did you tell him?"

"He told me that there was no choice…"

"Just like with Thea…"

It didn't make it go away.

It did make it a little easier, though.

. . .

TBC…


	18. Best Laid Plans

They'd been locked away in the room all night and Felicity knew that it was past time for them to eat breakfast. She was staring at the wardrobe and felt a pang of guilt almost over not writing her letter to Oliver. The night before she'd felt no need to. Felicity had fallen deep into a pit of 'it doesn't matter, he's not coming' despair. She'd woken up with a renewed sense of knowing that they weren't going to spend another month on that island.

"We're going to die in here," Thea wallowed.

"We're not going to die in here," Tommy and Felicity countered in unison.

As if, hearing their thoughts there was a knock on the door. "Breakfast," Merlyn announced.

"See, he's going to continue to feed us," Tommy teased almost in a way that seemed to show that he wasn't even impressed with the fact that they were about to have breakfast. He got up from the floor and moved to move the wardrobe.

Felicity got to her feet, bow and arrow at the ready. They still couldn't trust him. They could never trust him. Whenever she'd feel like maybe they were inching closer to something better, even if it was a slightly better life with Merlyn (even if it wasn't what any of them wanted), they'd slip back… She didn't want to do it anymore.

Merlyn entered with a large tray of food for them. "I know you three are upset…understandably…but I was hoping that maybe you'd be willing to leave this house… I can assure you that I've taken care of any threats—"

"Threats?!" Thea exploded. "Is that really all you care about?! You have no idea how much we hate it here…or how much we hate you… You want us to love you so much, then let us go home!"

"Can we start with breakfast?" he asked as he set the tray on the bed.

"Really don't want to even see your face," Thea spat.

"We can't trust you," Felicity voiced.

"You can," Merlyn told her. His voice was sweet and caring. "I know that you think that everything has been destroyed, but that's not true."

"There was never anything here or on that boat for us, Dad," Tommy spoke up.

"Don't say that! We can still be a family!" Merlyn went on. "I can protect you… I can do better… I can—"

"We don't want it!" Thea screamed. "Just go away!"

Merlyn was containing the rage that she'd expect extremely well. It wasn't just her voicing her concern; it was Thea practically attacking him and Tommy backing them up. Felicity was waiting for it. It didn't come though. There was no anger or violence…

"It's important for you to keep practicing, Felicity," Merlyn told her gently. "I know that after what happened that you might not feel like it's necessary, but it is… You have a gift… A natural gift and you need to keep sharp."

"I'm not like you," Felicity said. Her hands started to shake and she hated that. "I don't take joy or just don't care about taking a life…"

"I stopped caring about lives that don't matter in this world a long time ago," Merlyn told her. "You might not understand it. None of you might not. What I have done all along, I did for all of you… I made mistakes. I'd make them again… I failed all three of you in different ways…then and now. I want to stop making mistakes, but there needs to be trust between us."

"You've done nothing that would give us any reason TO trust you," Tommy reminded. "You've kidnapped us—"

"I SAVED you."

"Fine, you saved us… You saved the girls, you brought me back, but you still have kept us prisoner… You tortured and beat Felicity… You've hurt Thea and I. You hired men who you're just lucky Felicity stopped," Tommy went on. "Why don't you understand that we're not happy? That we want to go home. We want to live, not be your prisoner on this island nightmare."

"Is that really how you all feel?"

There were nods in response. For the first time, in a very long time, Felicity wasn't scared of him. Maybe it was because she was holding a bow and she could kill him if she really wanted to. Felicity really wasn't sure. All she knew was that things needed to change.

"Please think about it, Felicity. I'll be waiting for our lesson."

. . .

She couldn't believe she was doing this.

She couldn't believe that she wasn't absolutely terrified to walk across the compound to behind the big house. Felicity had her bow and her quiver, but normally there were so many guards. So far, she'd only seen two guards who were posted at the gate to the beach. That was it.

It was almost like the 'Twilight Zone' walking through that compound. It was empty and eerie. He was there though. He'd even come without his bow and Felicity was sure that it was part of his way of getting her to trust him.

The only reason she was there was because of Tommy. He'd talked her into it, even though she was exhausted. She'd stayed up all night making sure that no one came through the door. He'd told her that he'd stay with Thea and that she needed to do this. Her archery lessons could mean something more to all of them. It wasn't just about her growth.

Felicity stopped for a moment and just watched Merlyn. He was alone and just standing there. He hadn't seen her yet, so she took the moment to study him. She was about to announce her presence when she noticed him pulling out a medicine bottle. It wasn't the kind that you bought at the drug store, this was the kind that was prescribed by a medical doctor and came in an orange-brown bottle with a child-proof (and sometimes adult-proof) cap. He popped a few pills and then dry swallowed them. He was just about to stuff the bottle back into his pocket when she spoke up.

"What are those?"

He looked back at her and he seemed overjoyed. His blue eyes sparkled and he beamed at her. "They're just pills…"

"But what are they for?" Felicity pressed.

"They're for…" he started to say and then trailed off. He put the bottle in his pocket. "It doesn't matter."

Felicity was fairly sure she was going to regret using this card, but she had to know. She had to collect as much information as she could. She knew that that was what Oliver, Diggle, or Sara would do. How she missed them. "You want us to trust you."

That seemed to hit home. He was still smiling at her, but something had changed, it was just a blink, but she'd seen it. "You're right," Merlyn told her. "You're right." He was quiet for a minute before speaking up again. "After Tommy's mother died, you know that I disappeared… I didn't only disappear from your life or your mother's. I left Starling City. I actually did it because," he paused and let out a huff of a laugh. "I slept with Moira and felt so guilty about it…because I felt like I cheated on Tommy's mother even though she was no longer with us…" He paused and looked down for a moment before looking back up at her. "I went to Nanda Parbat. I found the League of Assassins and I had thought I was cured… I found something that made me feel alive again…"

She just listened and wondered if Tommy or Thea knew all of this. Felicity also wondered if he was hoping that he'd think that she'd feel sorry for him for some reason even though he was basically telling her that he had an affair with her mother and then when his actual wife died…he had an affair with Moira Queen. The bottom line Felicity felt like he was getting at was that they were all screwed.

"When I finally came back to Starling City, I had problems coping with how life was… It wasn't what I was used to. There were also ghosts…everywhere… The past haunted me… So, I sought the help of a doctor. He gave me those pills… When I took them, it helped… The world seemed brighter and Merlyn Global took off…and I found myself wanting to make the world better."

She was certain that he was getting around to The Undertaking, which she was fairly sure that no one would say was in anyone's best interest. Felicity was starting to think that no matter if he was on those pills or not that he was screwed up in the head. He needed help, mental help…the kind that involved a straight jacket and a padded cell with a lock on it. Actually, they just needed to weld the door shut.

"After Oliver thought he killed me…" He tilted his head and was quiet for a moment. Technically, she'd sort of helped with that since she'd been working with the Arrow (or the Hood…or the Vigilante…whatever…it was Oliver in the end) at the time. "I went off of them…for a very long time… I thought I was finally thinking clearly… That the pills just clouded my judgment and my thoughts of what was right and wrong…"

Felicity just waited.

"And then when I found out about Tommy," his voice broke and she could hear the heartbreak in his voice like it was yesterday. Felicity could remember when she'd found out that Tommy had died during the earthquake in The Glades…how torn Oliver had been. How it had affected so many. "And I thought I could save him… He'd been declared dead, but I had them put him on machines…had them try to preserve his life… Then I remembered, Ra's al Ghul had once told me of a miracle that he possessed… The Lazarus Pit… So, I took Tommy to Nanda Parbat… I thought I'd have my son back… Ra's didn't tell me everything…and if he did, I didn't care."

Felicity stared at him in silence, waiting for him to fill in the rest of the story.

"When you put someone in the Lazarus Pit…it brings them back… It works better if they are dying…or haven't been dead for long… But I didn't realize that there was a side effect… Something that I wasn't prepared for…" He paused. "The Lazarus Pit produces life…but also madness… The man I got back was not the son I loved, but someone who couldn't even speak… He was trying to hurt himself and screaming…and- So, I started to take them again, to cope. But one day, he was just okay… It was like a miracle… I had my son back… And I stopped taking them. I didn't need them if I had Tommy."

"But you're taking them again," Felicity spoke up.

"On the boat…" he whispered and then paused. "When I hurt all three of you…it was like something clicked inside of me… I carried those pills around all this time and I thought…if I took these that things would be better…and they were….weren't they?"

"They were better," Felicity conceded. "But we were never happy."

"I was…I am…I'm trying to be better for you three," Merlyn told her. "You need to know that…believe that."

"Then do what's best for us," Felicity told him. "You want to be our dad…then do that. Let us go home…"

"And then what?" Merlyn asked. "You'll run back to Oliver Queen…answer his phones, get him coffee, help him fight crime at night."

"For the record," Felicity spoke up. "I don't get him coffee…ever."

Merlyn smiled. "But you'll go back to your life…and where will my place be in it? I can't be alive in Starling City… You know that. They'll try to lock me up, put me away. And Oliver—"

"I don't know," Felicity told him honestly. "Maybe you have to make peace with the fact that you might never be part of our lives…not in the way that you want."

"I can't," Merlyn told her.

"Tommy could have a second chance… He could run Merlyn Global…or…do something else… He could be happy… Maybe he and Laurel—"

"Do you really think that's what he wants?"

"I think he wants that second chance. I think he'd be happy bartending at Verdant, working for Thea," Felicity told him honestly. "None of us really want much… I mean besides Thea, she sort of grew up with that, but I think she's learned not to need it so much."

"But I want to give you three everything you want," Merlyn told her.

"It's better that we work for it ourselves," Felicity told him. "Make our own mistakes…"

"Maybe," Merlyn told her.

Felicity moved towards where she normally stood when they practiced. She looked around, half expecting a contingent of guards to show up. They were alone. She reached back and pulled the arrow from the quiver. Felicity aimed, breathed, and let it go.

"See, I told you…you're a natural," Merlyn praised.

"Maybe," she echoed.

All Felicity could think of was the guard that she'd shot the day before. The man that she'd killed. She knew that Tommy was right; she'd done what needed to be done. It was obvious that Merlyn didn't blame her for any of it. It was just not something she could just let go.

. . .

"You've been quiet."

"I've been thinking," Felicity told him honestly.

Merlyn had brought them lunch and dinner that day, they'd just finished pushing the dinner tray outside the room, so that they wouldn't be disturbed if he came back to collect it. They didn't want to be checked on and Felicity had had enough of Merlyn for the day. She still didn't know what to think… How did she explain everything she'd heard and saw to them? Would it matter? Would it change anything?

"Something's got you shaken," Tommy observed.

He wasn't wrong.

"What happened?" Thea asked. "Are you okay?"

Felicity waved her hand around to try to dismiss what they were saying. "I'm fine…" She wasn't though. She had all of these words and bits of story floating around in her head. Did she feel sorry for Merlyn? Did she truly think that he was just someone who had mentally broke? Did she think that he just needed medication? Did she think that he'd change? That he'd really let them go home and live the lives that they wanted?

He'd made it clear that he wanted to be involved.

"We need to figure out a way out of here," Felicity told them.

"What? How are we going to do that?" Thea asked. "I mean, we know there's another compound on this island, but for all we know it's another serial killer and one that's a lot more dangerous than Merlyn…"

"She's right," Tommy said. "I'm sure Oliver's doing his best to find us…but he's taking too damn long."

"Oh, don't think I won't be telling him that when we see him," Felicity responded.

"But how do we make it work?" Thea asked.

"We don't even know WHERE we are… Isn't that sort of important? I mean, if we even got off the island…and we run into people…how are we going to communicate?" Tommy questioned. "English isn't the official worldwide language."

"I know French," Thea offered.

"Me too," Felicity chimed in.

Tommy frowned at both of them. "Unless we're off the coast of France…or Switzerland…I think we're screwed."

"Didn't learn any languages growing up?"

"Oh, please tell her," Thea said as she smiled in Tommy's direction.

"So…one year, Oliver and I learned to say 'Aren't you a pretty lady? I'm rich, care to join me?' in about seven languages…" Tommy said and Felicity could tell that he was no longer proud of that previous accomplishment. "I don't think that's going to help us, especially because I don't think I remember any of it."

Thea was already laughing lightly and Felicity joined in. The laughter didn't last though. "We should be serious…" Felicity said a moment later and Tommy seemed appreciative. "We need to figure out a way off the island as well as gather some supplies…"

"Isn't the HOW the biggest thing to figure out?" Thea asked. "I haven't seen a plane for…forever…"

"That's because there's a boat that comes," Felicity told her. "Merlyn told me… I had thought it odd when I hadn't noticed a plane when he gave me my bow…"

"So, what? Hope that it's a little boat?" Tommy asked. "Take out the people on board?"

"Or sneak on?" Felicity suggested. She really hated the idea of shooting people just because they needed their boat. She knew that if she needed to that she could shoot them in the leg or arm…somewhere nonlethal, but that still scared and worried her.

"The place is guarded though—"

"No, it's not," Felicity cut him off. "I only saw two guards when I went to my lesson…at the gate to the beach…"

"Two?"

Felicity nodded.

"What happened to all of the other guards?" Thea questioned.

"He probably killed them," Tommy answered before Felicity could say anything.

"But only ONE of them did anything—"

"He had to make an example…and he's probably trying to prove that he doesn't need any army," Tommy filled in.

"Another thing we need to consider before we do anything," Felicity spoke up. "What happens if we fail? If Merlyn finds out that we tried to leave…"

"It'd be like the boat…except much worse," Tommy suspected.

"But if we don't even try…then we're just stuck here," Thea reminded. "I don't know about you two, but I can't do this anymore… I just can't…"

"Neither can I," Felicity said quietly.

They both looked towards Tommy. "I'm only still here because of the two of you… I don't know what I would have done if it had just been me…"

"It would have been a lot less entertaining," Thea teased and lightened the mood.

Tommy smiled. "That's very true…"

After some time, they all settled down. Thea was asleep while Tommy and Felicity were sitting on the floor. When they'd gone to push trays out into the other room, Felicity had gone out and collected 'Pride and Prejudice' as well as paper and a pen. Felicity was determined to not skip another day of writing to Oliver. So, she pulled out a sheet of paper and grabbed the pen before setting them in front of her.

"You still write to Oliver?" Tommy asked.

Felicity turned towards him. "You might be the disapproving older brother, but he and Diggle have been my family for a while now… As crazy as life is for Oliver as Oliver Queen or the Arrow…or how he can snap at me sometimes… I still love him. He's my rock… Probably if he'd had stayed in Starling after your death, if he'd have lost it…I probably would have too," Felicity tried to explain. She figured that at least she hoped that Thea and Tommy would be two of the people would understand Oliver the best. "That probably sounded a lot more co-dependent that I had hoped…"

Tommy chuckled. "No, no…I get it. It's like it's so hard to even think about what my dad has done to you…what he's put you and Thea through… The first few nights I slept alone, I'd wake up without you two and I'd start to panic about what could be happening…remember where we were…and then cry myself to sleep at the thoughts of everything that had happened on that boat… That's why I've been so…probably extremely weird for a brother…about your ribs… I can still see the bruising so vividly…" His voice broke. "That's not how you or Thea should be treated… It's not how family should treat each other…"

Felicity scooted closer and put an arm around him. "We're going to make it out of here… The Arrow or not. And Merlyn's not going to be able to hurt us."

"It sounds too easy."

"I know," she said with a little frustration. "But it's going to happen." She added a moment later in a whisper. "It has to."

. . .

TBC…


	19. There Are Rules

"I'll take you back to Starling City," was how Malcolm Merlyn started it off.

The three of them sat there in stunned silence. Had they just heard right? Was Merlyn being truthful? Was he just kidding them? Trying to see if they'd cheer and start packing? Something else?

They'd agreed to meet with him and had moved their barricade to the front door of the hut, just to be cautious. It was also nice for them to have the extra room to sort of expand out into. It had just been the three of them sharing the small bedroom and even smaller simple bathroom for days now… It was smaller and less comfortable than the boat, but they had a choice to be there.

"There has to be a catch," Thea said it before Tommy or Felicity could. Everyone was thinking it, Felicity was sure.

"If I take you three back to Starling City, then you follow MY rules," Merlyn told them. He was calm and collected. He wasn't emotional or angry with them. He sounded very much like this was a business conversation.

Felicity didn't like this.

"What rules?" Tommy questioned.

"WHY are there rules?" Thea pushed.

Merlyn had an agenda… That was clear from how he sounded. They might as well be in the Queen Consolidated boardroom. It already sounded much like a proposal. She knew that Malcolm Merlyn had been CEO of Merlyn Global, but she still hadn't expected a business deal as far as his own children were concerned…but at the same time, Felicity didn't think she should really be surprised. Tommy didn't seem surprised at all.

"Rules keep us safe," Merlyn told Thea gently.

"Depends on the rules," Tommy countered.

"By the way, if changing our last names to Merlyn is one of them…I'm telling you now, I'm not doing it," Thea told him. "I'd rather the world not know I was your daughter."

"I really like being Felicity Smoak," Felicity spoke up. "The executive assistant to the CEO of Queen Consolidated that no one knows… I actually don't mind being on the sidelines."

"My children shouldn't be on the sidelines," Merlyn told her.

"That's where I've been all my life," Felicity told him. "I've always helped in ways where the light doesn't shine on me. I don't think I could handle being in the middle of everything."

"Merlyn Global and the mansion are still in limbo," Merlyn announced.

Felicity noticed Tommy's expression change; it was like he'd just realized something. She didn't know if he'd just connected dots or if he was thinking of what his—well, their father was up to. Felicity already didn't like it. He was being vague for the most part and she just didn't like it. The only thing he'd said so far that she liked was about them going home.

That could happen.

Right now.

"It's still in limbo because someone out there knows that not all of the Merlyns are dead," Tommy spoke up. "Or else, it would have all been taken care of by now."

"It's a lot—"

"You've been planning something."

"I've been planning all kinds of things are far as my businesses and interests are concerned," Merlyn explained. "I had to see how my investments panned out."

"Always the business man…"

"You act like it's a bad thing."

"It is," Tommy told him.

"You were provided for—"

"I would have rather been poor if that meant that I had my father… A father like Robert Queen…"

Thea and Felicity both turned to look at Tommy for a long second. He just didn't say that, right? He had though. She turned and stared at Merlyn for a moment. He seemed un-phased by Tommy's comment. That was surprising… That was a pretty low, but Felicity knew fair…comment.

"I know that I failed all three of you as far as being a father to you growing up, but I intend to make up for that," Merlyn told them evenly as he looked at each of them in turn. "You might not appreciate it now, but you will… You want to go back to Starling City… You want to be happy… Have lives… I can make that happen… You can be better parents to your children than I was to you… You have to trust me though."

There was no way they could trust him.

. . .

"I really don't think we should get our hopes up," Thea told them as she paced the living area.

Tommy had helped her to move some things, so that the room didn't look like such a mess. Felicity knew it was stupid, but she was so thankful that there wasn't a bloodstain on the floor. That didn't keep her from forgetting that she'd shot a man and exactly where he'd fallen.

"He wants something from us, he HAS to," Thea continued. "I mean, he's Malcolm Merlyn… He's like one of those mustache twirling villains in movies…"

"Except he doesn't have a mustache," Tommy pointed out.

Thea stopped to glare at him and he smiled in return, which only made her smile back at him. She let out a short laugh and he joined in. "You know what I mean!" she told him as she smacked his shoulder lightly before sitting on the couch between him and Felicity. It was a tight fit, but they didn't mind.

Felicity had actually gotten used to the three of them being in close quarters again. Being in the other room earlier moving her wardrobe back into place had given her a bit of a rise in her anxiety level. She couldn't help, but feel safer with both of them close by. It wasn't just her safety, but theirs as well.

"I have to tell you something," Felicity spoke up to break the long silence between them. She had gone back and forth on whether or not she should even say anything, but she'd decided in that moment that she had to say something. "When I went to my lesson the other day… I saw Merlyn taking pills…"

"What kind of pills?" Thea questioned as she leaned forward, but looked over at her.

"I don't know," Felicity admitted. "I assumed anti-depression or…something along those lines… He went on this big story about how he'd taken them and then he stopped…and then he started them again…and then stopped again…and back and forth… Apparently it's part of his trying to do right by us."

"I don't buy it."

"I think in his twisted head…he thinks it's true," Felicity said. "In all honesty…"

"I think Felicity's right," Tommy spoke up. "I'm not saying that we should believe his motives aren't without agenda though."

"Very much agreed," Thea said.

Felicity just nodded. She really didn't know how they were going to work all of this. Did they continue with a plan to escape the island of who-knew-where-the-hell-the-were or did they go with Merlyn's offer of taking them home? The logical choice seemed like possibly the most dangerous one. Could they really risk it?

All she knew was that it was hard to really weigh which one gave them the best odds at actually seeing Starling City and the ones they loved. Danger was one thing, but could they really believe Merlyn? There was no promises, no believable ones…ones they could trust…that came from Malcolm Merlyn. That was really the reality of the chess game they were in the middle of.

"Can we really pass up the opportunity for us to leave, though?" Thea spoke up breaking the silence a few minutes later.

She was right.

Felicity was thinking the same thing.

Was Tommy?

They were all so done and so close to breaking. None of them were weak, even if that's how they felt right now. They were all strong, in their own individual ways, but they were always stronger together…

"I guess…" Tommy said. "At least…we'd be off the island…"

"And back onto the boat?" Felicity offered and cringed at the very thought. She didn't think she'd been tested so much in her life in one short span of time. She didn't even want to entertain the thought of stepping foot on that same boat again…or any in which they were forced to be imprisoned on. She really wasn't sure if she could keep sane, especially with her lack of sleeping.

"He won't touch you."

Felicity looked over at him. "You can't promise that… He's stronger than any one of us… He trained with Ra's al Ghul and the League of Assassins…which really sounds made up and completely stupid whenever I say it, even if it is a real thing." Thea and Tommy smiled for a moment in response. "I guess, I'll just have to hold on a little longer… It can't be worse, right?"

"We stick together," Tommy told them. "We don't separate. No matter what. We stay together."

"We just better hope he keeps taking those pills," Thea commented.

Felicity frowned. She had a feeling that the pills weren't so much what they needed to worry about. She felt like what they really needed to work out was his agenda and what his rules would be. They needed to worry about his plans for them. They wanted their own paths that were because of what they wanted…because of the choices and mistakes that they made. She didn't think that Merlyn wanted the same.

She missed Oliver.

She missed Diggle.

She missed Sara.

She even missed Roy.

The more she thought about Starling City, the more she missed it. It wasn't just one person, it was everything. It was her day to day that left her really no time for a social life outside of Queen Consolidated or the Foundry. It was the things that bugged her at the time, like Roy complaining about Oliver's training…

All of the things that she'd taken for granted before.

That was what she missed.

The laughter.

The smiles.

The little touches.

The simple pleasure of watching someone on the salmon ladder.

Her fingers even missed the gentle caress of the keys to her tablet keyboard.

"I miss Roy," Thea blurted out and tears fell from her eyes. Felicity knew how hard it had been on Thea. It was part of the reason why she and Tommy had tried to shield and protect Thea so much. She was only nineteen and she needed to be protected. Even at that age and even though Thea wasn't this innocent little girl, Felicity still felt like there was a need to protect her from things.

They'd tried with Merlyn.

They'd failed.

She and Tommy would keep trying. Felicity knew that without even asking him. It was just like she knew that he and even Thea would try to protect her from Merlyn, even if it scared her a little. She didn't want them to suffer Merlyn's rage or his punishments.

"We have to try," Felicity whispered. "As much as I really hate to admit it. We have to at least let him THINK we're trusting him…"

Part of her was terrified of the outcome of the other option. They wouldn't be dependent on Merlyn, but Felicity didn't want to have to hurt or kill anyone. She really couldn't decide what would be worse…having to kill another person or having to go through Merlyn's torture again.

"We don't even know his rules," Tommy reminded.

Felicity sighed and whispered sadly, almost defeated. "Does it matter?"

. . .

Dear Oliver,

I tried to write to you the other day.

I couldn't.

It's been days since I last wrote to you, but you wouldn't know that because I have no idea what day it is. I don't even know what time it is. So much has happened. Too much has happened. Normally, I would spill it all out to you, but I can't right now. I'm still processing it. I'm still trying to cope. I'm still trying to keep the brave face on for Tommy and Thea.

I never thought that I would ever have to be the strong one.

I've pushed you before, I know. Sometimes you just needed to hear that what you knew was right was really the right thing to do. I was never the strong one, though. You and John have always been stronger than I was… And Sara… I still don't know how she managed however long she was with the League of Assassins…

I don't have that strength.

I'm weak and fragile and sometimes I don't know if I can make it through the day.

And then I remember.

I have to.

It's not just me. That's really weird for me to think about. Thea depends on me. Tommy depends on me. And I think about you and how I imagine you're looking for us. I know that you would want me to keep Thea safe. I tell myself that I can hold it together and pretend to be strong for them just long enough until you get here and then I can break down…then I can cry and let it all go…

I want to tell you the truth. I want to tell you what happened. I do. Oliver, you're the one person in my life that I know that I can trust not to lie to me. You might not always tell me everything or share things with me until it's happening, but I always tell you the truth. This time, it's not going to be any different. I just need time.

Maybe tomorrow I can write it all down.

Not today though.

I'm too afraid that I'll break down…

I don't want them to see me crying.

Tommy and Thea would hug me and want to talk about it and that's fine, but they really can't fully understand what I'm going through. It's not the same if they don't know. And I wonder if they look at me or think of me differently now. We haven't known for long that we're siblings, but I don't want to lose either of them now. Not because of this… Not because of any of this.

Instead, I'm going to tell you about Merlyn's offer. He's told us that he's willing to bring us home to Starling City. We should all be ecstatic. I want to be. He's said that there are rules…and I know he has plans, but he hasn't shared them with us yet. All I know is that it's going to come at a cost…

We're all so done with this island…with Merlyn…I think in all honesty, we're ready to pay just about any price. It still scares me.

I keep thinking that that would mean that I get to see you…all of you…again and then I stop and think about everything that I'd have to explain. Everything I've written to you about…and then I'm not sure I can face you.

How do I tell you that I'm Malcolm Merlyn's daughter? How do I make it so you understand exactly what happened in my life? I know that you would understand because he's Merlyn… But that doesn't stop me from feeling like I'm a traitor to you in some way. To worry about being accepted… Being worried that you'll see me differently if I have this label of being Malcolm Merlyn's daughter.

Though, I'm not the only one who's worrying about my paternity when it comes to returning to Starling City. Thea knows. It's not just her knowing, it's her knowing that your mother, you, and I all knew and didn't tell her… It's my fear that she might let this terrible secret define her life. She's so young and she was doing so well with her life before all of this happened… She's made it clear to Merlyn that she doesn't want his surname to define her in any way… That won't make it any easier on her. It'll weigh on her. Like it weighs on me.

I told you that I took up the bow. I've been letting him train me, even though I wish it were you doing it. It's helped me in a way I never thought that I'd consider. I know the weight things must bring you now. I always thought that I understood, but I didn't. I understand now. It makes me want to hold you and cry for you so much more, Oliver. To know what weight you must carry… To know how you must struggle everyday…

It's not just the training… It's not just the weight… I'm trying to cope with knowing that I let Malcolm Merlyn teach me these things… He was the reason, the real reason, for The Undertaking and all of those peoples' deaths… He was the reason for countless others, I'm sure, because of his time with the League of Assassins… For others. For your father… For your almost death… Almost for Walter… For Tommy…

I don't want to be like him.

I try not to dwell on those thoughts, but then his words and his voice telling me that I'm a natural and how proud he is of me float into my head. I feel sick and my head starts to spin out of control. How did this become my life? I liked being the IT girl in the office that no one visited in Queen Consolidated… I liked being the girl who helped you, but no one knew who I was. I was okay with that.

I don't want to be Malcolm Merlyn's daughter.

I don't want to be an heir to his legacy.

I want to be Felicity Smoak.

I want to be your Girl Wednesday…even if really, it's Friday.

I'm not strong.

I'm not brave.

I'm just me.

I'm scared and I'm shaking writing this. But this, it's the only thing that's keeping me sane. Knowing that you might read these…and forgive me…or understand what happened to us…and tell me that it's all going to be okay… That's what is really keeping me from ending things… It would be easy. I'm sure Merlyn wouldn't even think about it. He's like the security that thinks that taking tiny bottles of shampoo will ensure that you can't construct a bomb in the airport. They're wrong. Have you seen the shops in the airports? Merlyn's wrong too. We could all end things right now if we really wanted to.

I want to have hope.

I'm trying.

Please forgive me, Oliver.

Losing Hope,

Felicity Smoak

. . .

TBC…


	20. Last Night On The Island

"We leave in two weeks," he announced. "For Starling City."

"You haven't even told us 'the rules'," Thea told him. She sat on the couch with her arms crossed over her chest and a firm look of irritation on her face. It was more than obvious that Thea was not happy with the situation.

"You either follow the rules I lay out or you stay on the boat with me, Thea," he said. For the first time in a long while he actually sounded rather irritated. "I promise you that no matter if you're going by Queen or Merlyn that you'll be getting the proper life a child of either family deserves."

Felicity wondered if that meant something different for her. Her last name wasn't Merlyn (or Queen) and she'd made it clear that she wasn't going to take on his surname. She didn't want to be part of his legacy. Felicity tried not to dwell on it because all she could think about was the boat and what had happened on it.

"We're going on the boat again?" Tommy asked the question that none of them really wanted to ask.

"Yes," Merlyn responded.

"Are you going to lock us up again, too? Knock us around if we say something you don't like?" Thea piped up.

Felicity reached up from where she was sitting on the floor in front of the couch and grabbed one of Thea's hands. She squeezed gently and just hoped that Merlyn didn't do anything. She was just trying to concentrate on the fact that they were going home. That was the bright light she was trying to cling to.

"How are you going to explain me?" Tommy questioned.

It was a GOOD question and the look on Merlyn's face, he had it all figured out. She KNEW he had an agenda, he just didn't know the details of it. She really didn't think any of them were going to like it. It did mean that they could go home though.

"Don't worry about that," Merlyn responded. "I'll take care of the press—"

"Don't you think I…" Tommy said at first as he put his hand on his chest and then motioned to Thea and Felicity. "That WE should know?"

Merlyn sighed. "People will wonder how you're alive. The press will be informed that the truth was that you were on life support, kept alive…in a coma…at a private facility. This is why Merlyn Global and the mansion have not been released. Technically, an heir was still alive. You were kidnapped by the same people who took Thea and Felicity."

"What did they want with us?" Tommy questioned.

"None of you knew," Merlyn explained. "One day you just woke up…you were okay and walking around when the girls arrived. You looked out for each other. "

"Not sure that has enough details."

"People will believe it," Felicity said before she could really realize that she was speaking. She'd remained quiet for this long— "Like Oliver on that island. Everyone believed that he was alone on that island for five years. He came back with tattoos and all those scars and even the doctors didn't really question it. He's Oliver Queen. He was hailed as a prince that had been brought back from the dead." She paused. "Thea and Tommy will be seen in the same way—"

"And what about you?" Thea asked. She squeezed Felicity's hand. Felicity could hear the irritation in her sister's voice and doubted very much that that would go away anytime soon.

"I'll be fine," Felicity told her gently as she turned to look back at Thea. "I'll slide in under the radar…just like I prefer…"

"Oh, I have plans, Felicity," Merlyn told her.

"What KIND of plans?" Tommy asked. He was obviously suspicious and concerned.

"You don't have to worry so much, Tommy," Merlyn replied. "I have everything taken care of. Everything will be in place."

"That's what worries me."

"Tommy—" Felicity tried to stop him, but it was no use. He kept going as if she never opened her mouth.

"You've tortured her, beat her, you blame her for everything," Tommy went on. "She's my sister and I want to know that you won't treat her like that. She deserves better."

"Of course," Merlyn told him. "She's a Merlyn. My daughter. Even if she refuses to claim me as her father through her surname. She IS to receive no less a life than you or Thea."

Merlyn's response seemed to appease Tommy, at least for the time being. Felicity just hoped that Merlyn didn't get worked up any further. She just didn't know now she'd be able to endure another two weeks of that island plus the time it would take to get home via the boat.

The boat…

She didn't know how she was going to be okay getting back onto the boat. It didn't matter if it were a different boat… She still knew and remembered far too vividly their last voyage had gone. Felicity never wanted a repeat. Never. But she knew that it wasn't really up to her. The boat would come and she'd have to get on it.

Felicity would have to push herself just a little more. She didn't think she could do it, but at the same time…she knew she could. Deep down inside of her, Felicity knew that there was a bundle of courage, strength, determination, and maybe even some sanity was the part that she thought she needed the most at the moment. She didn't sleep anywhere close to enough and then there was everything she'd gone through since Merlyn swept them off of that rooftop.

Sometimes Felicity thought that Slade Wilson would have been the safer choice.

"I need you. All of you," Merlyn told them. "Merlyn Global needs to be re-secured. As does Queen Consolidated."

"You killed 503 people in The Undertaking," Thea said. "How do you think you're going to be able to reboot Merlyn Global?"

"Tommy's alive, so technically it's only 502," Merlyn replied to her and laughed lightly. "Just think how it will look for Tommy to run the company…it's about as crazy as Moira Queen being declared 'no guilty' by a jury and then turning around and running for mayor."

"Why do you care about Queen Consolidated?" Thea questioned.

"You deserve that company in your family hands," he told her. "YOU have a right to that company."

"Isabel Rochev has it," Felicity reminded. "Last I heard, you didn't mess with Ra's al Ghul OR his daughters OR the League of Assassins."

Merlyn shrugged. "Let me put it this way," he told Felicity. "I'm negotiating with them."

"I don't even WANT the company," Thea blurted out. "I LIKED running Verdant. I was actually GOOD at something."

"You might not want it, but I'm sure it would help to stabilize things with Oliver and your mother upon your return. It's for them too, of course."

"Of course," Thea echoed. Her tone was dripping with discontent. None of them were fooled or easily won over by anything that Merlyn was trying to sell.

. . .

Time passed quickly on the island.

She was okay with that.

The three of them had moved into Felicity's hut and this was their last day. It was like they'd come full circle. Their bags were packed for the morning, but right…right now, they'd enjoy the last sunset on that island beach together.

They were always together.

For months, they'd been like that.

When they went home, Felicity knew, everything would change.

On the boat, they'd all slept in the same room together and that's how it had ended on the island. They had almost separation anxiety, like infants…or toddlers…except it wasn't their mother that they longed for…but to be closer to their siblings. There was safety there… Felicity knew that people wouldn't understand and they wouldn't encourage their relationships or closeness.

Maybe the team would understand, she thought. But not Moira Queen… Felicity knew that she already didn't like her and this would mean that Moira didn't like her even more. What would she say if she found out that Felicity was also Thea's half sister? Moira would be the first to say that Felicity shouldn't be with Oliver, but Felicity feared that she'd also push her away from all of them thinking that maybe Felicity had known all along… That she'd somehow been working with Merlyn. Moira Queen would likely be her biggest fear when they returned.

"We can't tell everyone," Felicity whispered.

"What are you talking about?" Tommy asked.

Tommy. She loved him so dearly. She didn't think she'd be able to love someone else so quickly, but she had. He was such a good big brother and she'd noticed how fierce he'd become of protecting both of them, especially her lately when it came to Merlyn. He might be the disapproving older brother, but Felicity knew that he just wanted her to be happy. He wanted her to be okay. He wanted her to have a life…not be under Merlyn's thumb.

"We can't tell people about being Merlyn's kids," Felicity told them.

"What about Oliver?" Tommy questioned.

Thea nodded. "Oliver should know…though, I suppose that would make things more…difficult between you two…"

"Oliver should definitely know," Tommy said.

Felicity and Thea laughed lightly and Felicity shook her head. "I'm assuming that Oliver and the team already know…and if they don't, you're right…they should. It'll help to keep us all safe."

"You're worried about something," Thea pointed out.

Thea. Felicity had already thought she was adorable before when she'd just been keeping an eye on her for Oliver. Now, she didn't know what she'd do without her. Thea was sweet and fierce. She was smart and caring. She was innocent. Felicity really didn't know how her life would be if she had to give up her little sister. She knew that Moira Queen would try to come between them. Oliver would understand, but his mother wouldn't.

"Your mother," Felicity whispered. "I don't think she'll approve…"

"She doesn't have a say—"

"She's your mother, Thea," Felicity said firmly. "As horrible as she might be sometimes, the mistakes she makes…she's still your mother. She still loves you, Thea…"

"But she can't take you or Tommy away from me just because she knows," Thea told her. "She should just be happy that I'm not announcing her affair produced a child to the press."

"She's not going to tell you that you can't see Tommy," Felicity told her. "But I'm different… I confronted your mother about Merlyn being your father before—"

"I don't care," Thea said as she let her head fall onto Felicity's shoulder and an arm wrapped around her. "We're staying together. She's not going to come between us. No matter what."

"She's right," Tommy said as he put his arm around both of them. "If we're going home, then we're going to stay together even if people don't understand it. They don't have to."

No matter what they both said. Felicity knew that things would change. Things always changed. Sometimes change was good, but Felicity couldn't be sure what this change would really mean for all of their lives…

"Will you be excited to see Laurel?" Thea asked.

"You haven't talked about her before," Tommy pointed out. "And I guess…I was too worried to ask."

"Oliver's with Sara, if that helps you know where things are between him and Laurel."

"Sara?"

Felicity stayed quiet, mainly because she really didn't have anything to add to the discussion. They hadn't talked about anything really from the real world except to talk about Oliver and talk about Team Arrow. Laurel and Sara Lance's love lives really hadn't come up.

"She came back because of Laurel," Felicity spoke up.

"What do you mean?"

"So, Sara was part of the League of Assassins…" Felicity paused. "It still sounds made up." She noticed the looks of slight amusement from her siblings. "She came back to Starling City after The Undertaking to check on Laurel and Detective Lance…and Laurel sort of started to spiral…"

"I think that spiral might be being a little…kind," Thea said, obviously choosing her words wisely.

Thea and Tommy had grown up with Laurel, not her. Thea, Tommy, Oliver, Sara, and Laurel were all lucky to have grown up together…there was a connection there…and it was something that Felicity could never be a part of…there were also romances between both Oliver and Tommy and Laurel… That always seemed a little awkward.

"Laurel started to drink…and take pain pills," Felicity explained. "We thought that she'd ODed, but she'd actually been poisoned…but then she's facing disbarment and has lost her job with the DA's office…"

"Is she okay?" Tommy asked with concern.

"I'm sure Oliver is keeping an eye on her, even though Laurel hates him… He's not going to let Laurel hurt herself. Sara won't let it happen either… And Detective Lance, he's been trying to stay close to her…" Felicity tried to assure. "They're not going to let anything happen to Laurel… They'll probably just drive her crazy with staging interventions…"

"So, see…she'll be excited to see you," Thea tried to cheer him.

"Certainly happier to see you come back to the dead over Sara's return…" Felicity added.

Thea shot her a look.

"What? It's true…"

Tommy shook his head. "Things will be so different…"

"What about Roy?" Felicity brought up.

"He better be waiting for me," Thea practically threatened. "I plan on hugging him and kissing him for…far too long to discuss with siblings…especially the big brother…"

Felicity beamed at her. It was going to be good that one of them should be happy. Thea really deserved it. She needed the normal life. Felicity had a feeling that she and Tommy wouldn't be so lucky. They were still waiting for what Merlyn intended on doing with them as far as his 'plan' and 'rules' went.

"What about Oliver?" Felicity asked. "Will you be excited to see him?" She knew that Thea hadn't been happy to find out that Oliver had lied to her about things. Felicity had hoped that things would have changed for Thea, especially after everything they'd been through.

"Yes," Thea said quietly. "If you'd asked me two months ago, I don't know if I would have felt the same though…"

"He loves you, Thea," Felicity told her.

"She's right," Tommy spoke up. "Oliver doesn't care about a lot of people in this world, but he's always adored you, Thea. That will never change."

. . .

Dear Oliver,

It's our last night here.

You never came.

I guess that I really can't be too surprised. I still have no idea if you know that Malcolm Merlyn is alive…or if we are. This is our last night on this island…and then we're heading home. Home. I hope it still feels like that when we get there. I can tell you this, I will never take things like electricity or computers or technology for granted ever again. Even a watch or a clock… I miss all of it and I will be relieved to be back in civilization.

It's been hard to live here…not only because it's a prison. Not just because of the situation or the circumstances… I miss being able to be in my realm of specialty. I miss being able to find anything and hack into things… I miss being an asset. I guess I sort of found that here…not exactly the same. I'll happily put down my bow and go back to my keyboard.

Most of all.

I miss my guys.

Yes, that's you.

And Diggle.

I miss you both.

You guys are my family… You're the family that I've had for two years, before I knew about Thea and Tommy. Before Sara and Roy joined the team. I'm happy for this larger family, but I miss you two.

I'm still worried about what you might think… It's not just because Malcolm Merlyn is my father. I mean, that's going to be weird. I can't even think that it's going to be any other way… Your mother already hates me, add this to the mix, and I'm screwed all around. I mean, the only upside to her knowing that Malcolm Merlyn is my father is that maybe she'll think twice if she thinks of hiring a hit on me or something…

I have secrets from you.

I keep telling myself that I can tell you. If I wrote it down, then it's not like you'd be judging me on the spot. I'd be able to get it out of my head and then I could actually choose when you can actually read them. I could let you read all of the others and just keep this one…or burn it. I know that, but I just am not ready to tell you about what happened that day…

Maybe I won't ever be ready for it.

We're coming home, Oliver.

I hope that it's all that I've been hoping for. I really do hope that you all accept me back in. I hope I get to hug everyone. I hope that I feel safe again, even if it's just moments here and there. I hope that you don't look at me differently…

I guess I hope for a lot where you're concerned.

You set the bar high in a lot of ways, Oliver.

I hope that I'll still meet all your standards. I hope that you don't see me as broken… I'm almost afraid that I won't be familiar. That sounds weird, right? It's how I feel. I feel like I'm another person or that I've changed… Maybe it's depression trying to seep in…

I'm still here.

Still waiting,

Felicity Smoak

. . .

TBC…


	21. Ruining Lives

The boat.

Felicity had never thought that she'd be so happy to see or be on that stupid boat again. It had been hard the moment that she stepped onto the deck. They each had a bag of belongings, but Felicity mainly had been concerned about her bow and her letters to Oliver. Those were the things that she was mainly concerned about. She'd brought clothes as well, but really…those things were what she cared about most.

She'd of course, rather be flying, mainly because it would have been faster. She knew that she could manage this, even though she didn't want to do it. Even if every cell in her body trembled as they walked through that boat.

"Are you sure you all want to stay together?"

"Yep, old room…just like last time… You just have to bring us food," Thea told him. "Kind of like having pets."

"That's not how I think of you."

"You have plans for us," Thea pointed out. "Maybe chess pieces would be a better representation for the roles that we play in your life."

Merlyn seemed frustrated as he motioned for the guard down the hall to open a door. Felicity was sure that it was to the room that they'd stayed in before. "Don't worry, if you insist. You three will be bunked together like before. The plate that you were…accessing before has been sealed…" He looked right at her and Felicity knew that he was telling her that there was to be no plotting or planning on their parts on this voyage. "A metal plate was put over it and it was WELDED in place."

"Good to know," Felicity said quietly.

They all filed into the room and it was pretty much how they left it. There was a stack of new games in the middle of the room as well as some books and a bag of…well, she wasn't sure yet because they weren't close enough. "This should keep you busy for the time being. You'll be given a thirty-minute warning before each meal. If you three can behave, you'll be allowed out of this room… If not," he said and paused. He looked at each of them. "I think you remember how I feel about disobeying…"

Okay, maybe she wasn't going to be able to do this.

Felicity suddenly felt the need to flee. Was it too late to decide to go back onto the island and then plot out their plan to try to get off the island on a boat of their own?

"Felicity?"

She turned to see Merlyn with his hand out. "What?" she asked quietly. She was a little too nervous to move, so she just stood there. Her bag was still slung around her and she was gripping her bow even tighter. She knew that she couldn't use it; against him…he'd probably catch an arrow before it hit him anyways.

"The bow and arrows please," he requested.

Felicity looked down at the bow and tears fell from her eyes without her consent. She hadn't even realized she was crying until her tears hit her hand. She knew that she couldn't not hand them over, but she didn't want to… The bow and her arrows had been what had kept them safe… She hated killing that man, but she'd kept Thea safe. It had been her only way of really controlling her life or feeling strong in any way…and now, he was taking that away from her.

She finally stepped forward and handed him the bow. Felicity unzipped her duffel and pulled the quiver full of arrows from the top before handing it over to him as well. She was about to step back when his arm caught hers. Felicity felt the panic rise inside of her as she looked up at him.

"I know you aren't happy about this," Merlyn told her. His voice was gentle, which surprised her. He even looked a little upset. "I'm taking these away just for all of our safety… If you can behave this time around…then you'll be allowed to leave this room and we can continue our lessons if you like… And once we get to Starling City and all of you are starting your new lives, then you can take it with you then…"

Felicity just nodded. It was really all that she could do right at that moment. She didn't move though, he still had a strong grip on her. She looked down at his hand on her arm and started to wonder if it was going to leave marks. Of course, this wouldn't be the first time that bruises mottled her skin because of Malcolm Merlyn.

"Okay," Merlyn said quietly and finally released Felicity. He took a step back and into the doorway. "I'll be back in a few hours…we'll go for a walk… That should give you enough time to settle… We'll have a whole deck…maybe we could play a game together," he said as he motioned to the stack in the middle of the room.

"Sure," Tommy said slowly and not too convincingly. "Maybe."

Felicity moved back towards her bed and behind where Tommy stood. She really didn't think Merlyn would do anything to her right then and there; it was more than she was worried of how she might react to him taking away the only bit of control that she did possess. She sunk down onto her bed and Merlyn left them.

"He seriously thinks we're like 'The Brady Bunch' or something…."

"No enough kids," Felicity shot back at her brother, who just smiled.

"We're really not anywhere close to being that family," Thea chimed in as she sat down on her bed as well.

"How long do you think this trip is going to take?" Felicity wondered aloud.

"Too long," Tommy responded.

"Yeah," she whispered sadly. "Me too."

. . .

He'd been true to his word about letting them out. Thea's glare had seemed to have shot down Merlyn's thought of a 'family game night' quite effectively. Instead, Tommy and Thea were walking around while Merlyn gave Felicity her archery lesson.

Was it hard?

Absolutely.

Was it worth it?

Only time would truly tell.

Felicity was also certain that her definitely of 'worth it' had changed and would change. She knew that a year ago, her response would have probably been different. Everything had changed. Felicity also knew that so much more would be changing.

She held the bow firmly and for the most part, she was hitting her targets. Merlyn would praise her and it would be enough to throw her off of her game. Every time it happened, she only got more upset with herself for her lack of concentration. Felicity hated his presence even more now. It was hard for him to be so close to her and even harder to continue with her lessons.

"How about one more and then we'll go and find your brother and sister?" Merlyn suggested.

Felicity didn't know how long they'd been practicing, all she knew was that this was the second time she was emptying her quiver as she pulled the final arrow back on the string. She aimed, breathed, and then finally let go. She hit the target.

"I told you, a natural!" Merlyn beamed. He went and retrieved the arrows from the target for her and she sadly set her bow and quiver aside. She knew that she couldn't take them with her and holding onto them was only going to make it harder. "It's good to know that one of my children inherited this from me."

He kept going on, but Felicity really didn't care. She just wished that they were there already. She'd thought about asking him how long it would take, but it came down to the fact that it didn't matter. They might be able to tell by the amount of meals they were served or even by Merlyn's letting them out, but they'd get there when they got there. Nothing was going to speed it up, even though Felicity wished that they could.

Tommy and Thea approached and they seemed in a slightly better mood. Maybe the fresh air had helped? Felicity tried to put on a smile for them. "Feel better?"

Tommy nodded and then spoke quietly as Merlyn fought with one of her arrows. "Though, I still don't know why you're doing this… You don't HAVE to—"

"I know," Felicity whispered. "It may come in handy later…"

She really didn't know if that was true or not, but she knew that right now…it was keeping Merlyn happy with her and that was keeping him from hurting her or stuffing her in a box… She didn't know if she could deal with his form of 'questioning' or 'punishment' again. Felicity just felt like she could break at any minute even more now that they were on that ship and her only sense of control was taken away from her.

"So, tonight at dinner…I was hoping that we could go over what will need to be done once we arrive at Starling City," Merlyn said as he approached them. "I will keep my promises. You will all receive the life that you deserve and I really do think that it will be a life that you'll be happy with."

"Even if we don't want to change our names?" Thea questioned.

Merlyn smiled at her. "Even if you won't advertise your true paternity that way."

"The press doesn't need to know either," Tommy pushed.

"I actually agree with you," Merlyn said. "It'll play out better that way."

Felicity just stared at him. Play out better that way? What kind of response was that? They were definitely chess pieces. She really didn't know what to think about what Merlyn would be announcing later. She supposed that she really didn't have any choice in the matter. He always made it sound like there was a choice for them, but the truth was…that was a lie. They really were his prisoners, no matter how her colored it or how tropical the island was.

"Well, at least we agree on something."

"You could just tell us now," Thea suggested.

"No, no," Merlyn said. "It's much better to save it for dinner… It'll make for good conversation." He looked down at his watch. "It's going to be here in an hour anyways. I'll take you all back and you can get ready."

. . .

Dinner had already started, which included wine. Felicity had already emptied half her glass. She was fairly sure that she was going to need it. She knew that Tommy and Thea were wanting to hear the news right away, but the twisting in Felicity's stomach…she was just too worried about what was going to come out of Malcolm Merlyn's mouth. She was certain that none of it would be good and if for some chance it was…there would be strings…

"I thought we were going to have this BIG family discussion," Thea finally spoke up when they were halfway through dinner.

"I thought you might want to wait until after we had the main course?" Merlyn offered.

"I'd rather just hear it."

"Me too," Tommy said right before he shoved more of his dinner into his mouth.

"I'm okay either way," Felicity said quietly. She got looks from both Tommy and Thea, but she didn't care. It had been obvious since day one that she was not Merlyn's favorite child. She was the middle child and…well, besides having an interest in archery…Merlyn didn't seem to have any other need or want for her…except the information that she wouldn't give.

"First," Merlyn said. "The rules."

"Oooo the rules," she heard Thea mumble.

"It's not complicated," he continued. "If you don't all agree to take your parts in my plans, then you all will remain on this boat with me."

"For how long?" Thea choked out.

"Until you agree."

Yep, they were definitely screwed.

Merlyn was dead serious, too. Felicity could hear it in his voice and see it in his face. This was all business to him. He didn't care about their feelings or their wants or needs in any of this. This was about him and feeling like he was going to be a better father for doing it. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

"That's not creepy…at all…" Thea said loud enough that everyone could hear.

"I don't think that you'll argue with what I have planned for you, Thea," Merlyn told her gently.

"I think I'd rather plan my own life, thanks."

"We might as well listen," Felicity said softly and received more looks. "It won't hurt to listen, right?"

"Thank you, Felicity," Merlyn said as he tilted his head slightly in her direction. He paused for a moment before speaking up again. "Why don't we go in order of birth?" he suggested, making it sound like it was going to be something really exciting. None of them were excited to hear this. "Tommy," he said and turned towards his eldest and only son. "You'll be returning and taking over my position as CEO of Merlyn Global. What you do with your life besides that, I really don't care. You could even go back to Laurel, if that's what you want… Though, for what it's worth, I think you deserve better."

"You want me to what?" Tommy pushed out.

"At least he's giving you the green light to do whatever else you want with your life," Thea told him sarcastically.

None of this phased Merlyn. "Felicity," he said and turned to look at her. A smile was on his face and he seemed so pleased with himself. She wasn't sure if that was what worried him or how terrified she actually was to hear what he was going to say about what he expected from her life. "You're going to marry Oliver Queen and make sure that Queen Consolidated is back in the Queen family's hands."

Felicity's jaw dropped and she just stared at him. He was serious. He was so serious. How was she supposed to swing that? And what about…did she want that?

"As for your work with the Arrow. I couldn't care less. But before any of you are allowed to actually be out there in that world, your marriage to Oliver Queen needs to be official."

None of them were ever leaving that boat.

"Oliver and I are—" Felicity tried to get out.

"I know that you have feelings for him," Merlyn said before she could even finish her sentence. "I know that he killed a man for you… I'm sure he'd kill many more if it meant protecting his precious Felicity. He has feelings for you, my dear… Neither one of you might not be willing to admit them to each other, but now you're going to have to."

"Oliver is with Sara Lance—"

"Did you not hear me?" Merlyn asked. "Are you that selfish? If you do not do what I ask, then no one leaves this boat."

"I can't make Oliver do anything—"

"I think you can."

They were all quiet for a long while.

"Thea," Merlyn finally said as he turned his head to his youngest. "If you really love running Verdant…then you should go back to that. Keep the Queen name. You can even marry that Roy for all I care… Still, don't think he's good enough for you though."

. . .

Felicity stared down at the box of letters.

She'd written all of these letters to Oliver and she knew that he knew that she had feelings for him… Whether Oliver returned them or not… She loved Oliver Queen, but she didn't know if he returned her feelings if they'd even have a relationship that would work. Oliver didn't exactly have a great track record where relationships were concerned.

Oliver was with Sara. Felicity knew that they had a past together, things that she didn't even know. She'd gone down on the Gambit and they'd come back together when she'd been able to come back to Starling as 'alive'…and they probably had been together on the island at some point. In all honesty, Felicity loved Sara…she thought she was a good person and that she just needed to get on the right path…but she didn't think she was the right person for Oliver. Sara seemed to almost pull him back a few steps and weigh him down in her opinion, but Felicity would never tell either of them that.

That didn't mean she was going to pull them apart.

Oliver deserved to be happy.

And really, could she complain? She'd told him that he deserved better than Isabel Rochev (especially since she turned out to be a bad guy—girl—person) and he had Sara… For the most part, they seemed happy… How could she really break that up?

It wasn't only that. It was that there was a chance that Oliver might not even be in Starling City. For all she knew, he was back on Lian Yu. He and Sara might have gone off and decided to hide there. Could she blame them? No. They were actually a lot luckier than they were right now. They had each other, they were happy (or at least she liked to think so), and they had solitude.

But Thea and Tommy…

Merlyn had made it clear that it was all or nothing with him. So, she knew that she was going to have to find a way for Merlyn to let them go and live their lives. She needed to figure something out.

She buried her head in her hands.

Everyone else was asleep and she knew that everything that Merlyn said was floating through Thea and Tommy's heads as well. How did he expect them to just do as he said? It just wasn't that easy. They had dreams and things that they loved…and people that they loved. Love wasn't about snapping your fingers and making two people fall in love with each other.

Love was a delicate thing.

Malcolm Merlyn seemed to be so keen on playing matchmaker, but Felicity just couldn't wrap her head about being Mrs. Oliver Queen in a snap. Even IF Oliver agreed, if they did it for Thea and Tommy, it still wouldn't be fair. Even IF Sara wasn't a factor… It wasn't fair to Oliver. He deserved a real relationship. He deserved to really be happy. He deserved to find the person HE truly loved instead of this arranged marriage that Merlyn proposed. How could she expect him to just skip all the steps and jump right to marriage? It was too much. It was too much for even her. How could she expect to put him through it as well?

Felicity ran her hand over the box of letters. Tears dropped onto the box as she struggled with the thought of failing Tommy and Thea… She didn't want to ruin their lives, but she didn't want to ruin Oliver's either…

There had to be another way…

. . .

TBC…


	22. Goodbye

"I won't do it," she barely whispered as she sat in the chair. Her hands shook and she could feel her lungs burning. He hadn't tied her to the chair, covered her head, or poured water over her head…but the memories were vivid enough that he didn't need to do it.

"Felicity, I can assure you that you will not be making Oliver do anything," Merlyn told her. He was walking around the room with a bottle of water in hand. "Do you have any doubt that he would give his life for you or Thea…or Tommy?"

"It's not the SAME—"

"It is."

"He deserves to be HAPPY," Felicity told him. "Last I saw Oliver, he was with Sara Lance. They were both happy. I don't want to be the one to take that away from them—"

"I could terminate her—"

No!"

Merlyn smirked. "Don't worry, I'm not suicidal. Even IF she's been released by Ra's al Ghul and the League… I'm not about to have Nyssa come after me… I'm sure she still carries a torch for the Canary…" He looked right at her. "Have you met Nyssa al Ghul?"

"Heard about her," Felicity replied.

"So, you understand," Merlyn explained.

So, Sara was safe.

"How can you ask me to do this?" Felicity questioned. "Oliver thinks I'm dead, remember?"

"You called him the last time you were on this boat," he reminded.

"He might not have heard—"

"Oh, he heard," Merlyn said confidently. "But that WAS months ago…"

"But WHY do this?"

"Because I want what's best for my daughter."

"Making me marry Oliver isn't what's best for me. You have other reasons."

Merlyn smiled and crouched down in front of her. "Would it make it easier if you knew?" he asked and seemed to genuinely want to know.

She didn't know.

"Maybe," she told him finally.

What she really wanted was to be out of that room. She had realized that that was the same room that he had the box in, though she'd remembered hearing the ocean more clearly before. So, maybe it had been in a different location before since she didn't remember seeing it before, though she really wasn't taking in her surroundings the last time she was there. No matter, it was still terrifying. Felicity wondered if he thought that she'd break down if he put her in that room…it was a good tactic…

"You're right, this isn't just about you marrying Oliver," Merlyn told her. "But you love him and I'm certain he cares for you. He can also give you the life I didn't while you were growing up. Things will be kept mainly between the Merlyn and Queen family, which is a bonus. Unlike your siblings, I actually approve of this love interest. I used to think of Oliver like a son…and I always thought that in some ways he was better than Tommy… So, I suppose, it'll be nice having him as a son, even if it's by marriage." He paused for a moment. "But with Queen Consolidated back in your and Oliver's control—"

"If you want to take another jab at destroying The Glades—"

"No," Merlyn stopped her. "But with both Merlyn Global and Queen Consolidated…both companies can work together. My entire family will be well provided for. Though, I'll admit that it does have other business advantages as well…"

They were both quiet and Felicity was thinking over the life that Merlyn was proposing. She and Thea wouldn't have to come out to the world as Malcolm Merlyn's children, but was all of it really worth it? Felicity couldn't shake the guilt that not going through with it would result in her ruining Tommy and Thea's lives while going through with it would mean Oliver's life."

It seemed so impossible.

How did she decide?

"Do you love him?" Merlyn asked her gently.

"Even IF I do, I don't want to force him into this and ruin his life," Felicity argued. "I shouldn't HAVE to marry him—"

"But you will."

Felicity just stared at him. "If Oliver wasn't Thea's brother…would you make her do it?" she questioned.

"If it benefited my children… If it benefited my family… If it benefited the business… Of course," Merlyn told her after a moment.

Tears fell down her face and Merlyn reached up to wipe them away. Felicity shook at his touch, but knew better than to pull away. "Please…don't make me do this…"

"My Girl," Malcolm said with a sigh as he cupped her cheek. "You may be dreading it right now, but I promise you…you'll be so much happier…" She didn't see how that was possible. "You'll be home. You'll be with Oliver. Things will be so much closer to how they were before… You'll see…" He wiped more of her tears away as she sniffled. She hated him touching her. "Don't cry…"

They were both quiet for a long while.

"You're still writing your letters to Oliver?"

Felicity didn't want to know how he knew about the letters, but she simply nodded in response.

"I want you to write him a letter… A letter about your feelings for him… A letter that explains it all to him," Merlyn told her.

She didn't speak and she didn't nod, she just let her head hang there as tears continued to fall. He'd taken all the control away from her.

. . .

"Felicity?"

"I'm fine."

"Felicity?"

"I'm fine."

"Felicity?"

"I'm REALLY fine, Tommy," she told him as she walked past both of them and then collapsed onto her bed. She was certain that returning crying wasn't going to help them believe her. Normally, her returning after being alone with Malcolm on that boat meant that he'd hurt her in some form…and she supposed that that was technically true.

"What did he do?" Thea asked gently as she sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Felicity's hair back out of her face. They'd run out of hair bands and the two were fairly sure they wouldn't be resupplied until they returned to Starling City.

"Talked to me," Felicity sniffled as she just stared at the wall. She really just wanted to be left alone. The weight of the decision she had to make along with actually making it work…weighed so heavily on her. Her chest felt heavy, her neck tightened up, and her head pounded…all from the stress of it. She just really wanted to lie there and cry it out. She wanted to be allowed that.

"About?" Tommy prompted as he sat on the edge of her bed too. Tommy had his back to her while Thea was stroking her hair and looking down at her.

"What he expects… How I have to convince Oliver to marry me," she whispered. Felicity squeezed her eyes shut. "I don't want to ruin his life by making him do that… He should have a choice in his life…" She felt more tears run down her cheeks. "But I don't want to force you both to be stuck on this ship for the rest of our lives either…"

"I don't understand why he thinks that this is all going to work," Thea said with a sigh. "And WHY did he put all of the hard stuff on you?"

"I'm not a Merlyn or a Queen… So, if I want to be acceptable and helpful, then I need to marry into it…"

"Plus, he mentioned Queen Consolidated," Tommy spoke up. "Which, by the way, you'd probably do a much better job running Merlyn Global than I would…"

"I was only Oliver's assistant."

"I don't care," Tommy told her. "You and Thea, in reality, have a lot more experience with that kind of thing than I do. He just wants me to be him… To be the figurehead. To be the heir…"

"You can do it," Thea told him. "I ran Verdant just because Oliver wasn't there… I mean, I'm sure it's harder…but still…"

"She's right," Felicity whispered.

"But he's not really caring about what WE actually want," Tommy told them.

"He THINKS he is."

"Well, he's wrong."

"Don't tell him that," she whispered.

They were all quiet and Felicity just lay there and cried. Tommy and Thea didn't do much to console her, but just sat there. Felicity was more than okay with that and she was sure that they all had things to think about and consider. Their road home suddenly seemed so much longer than it had before…

. . .

Dear Oliver,

I would have written this letter…eventually… But I have to write it now. Merlyn is making me do it and I don't know why. I don't know how he KNOWS about these letters, but he knows. I'll explain everything and maybe…you'll understand why I feel like I HAVE to write this. I just hope that you still will see me as the Felicity Smoak that you knew before all of this happened…

I'm still the same.

I think…

Mostly…

Malcolm Merlyn took Thea and I because we're both his daughters. I didn't know this. My father left my mother and I when I was four. She took all of the pictures of him away shortly after he left. I have memories, but they were fuzzy until he took us and re-jogged them….filled in blanks. Tommy's alive, too. He wanted to keep us safe, he says. I think he's really just lost it and has gone to any lengths to recreate a family for himself.

Last night, he told us what we have to do in order to come back to Starling City. To live normal lives. I don't like it. Tommy and Thea don't like it. It's worse for me… I don't want to ruin your life or Tommy or Thea's… How can he expect me to do it? How can he expect me to make that choice? How can he expect me to convince you to do something that I don't want to force you into?

He wants Tommy to reclaim Merlyn Global and be the CEO. He basically wants Thea to just go back to her life running Verdant. He doesn't care who either of them date or marry. But me… He has more specific plans… Plans that I feel are so unfair for not only me, but also Tommy and Thea…

And you.

He wants me to convince you that we have to get married. He won't let us have a life in Starling City unless you and I agree and get married right away. He also plans on regaining control of Queen Consolidated and putting you back as CEO of the company. I'm all for having QC back, but Oliver… It's not fair to either of us.

You have Sara. I know you've had a hard time since you've returned to Starling City and let's face it; Sara has been the longest relationship you've been in in that time. She knows you and you both seem to love each other. I don't doubt that either of you would do anything to save any of us, but it's not fair. I don't want you to be forced into that kind of lie of a life.

We already live with enough lies, don't we?

Merlyn thinks that he's doing this for me because he knows how I feel about you. He's right; I do have feelings for you. That doesn't mean anything. It doesn't change anything. You've known for a while that I've carried a sort of crush…or torch for you. Did I care about you as much as when I first joined Team Arrow? No. I care about you so much more, Oliver.

Most of all, you deserve better.

I'm not exactly the person that I was when Slade Wilson and then Malcolm Merlyn took me. I was fragile before, but now… Now, I'm broken… Maybe it's because I don't have you and John to lean on. You both have made me stronger…in ways I didn't know I could be strong.

You're my family.

I hope you know that. You and John have been everything to me over these past two years. It's been the best years of my life crime fighting with the both of you. My life finally felt like it had purpose beyond tech support. Having to ask someone if they'd tried turning it off and on again isn't exactly fulfilling. You made me a better person and you made me so much stronger. I didn't know that I would need that strength so much until Merlyn took us.

You were always so strong and always protecting the whole city. You survived Lian Yu. You were and still are my hero, Oliver. No matter what happened or what didn't happen. You're still very much my hero.

So, now I've told you what he wants… What he has planned. But we've been gone for months and it doesn't seem fair to just leave you with that. You need to know what has gone on in that time… In the time that we waited for you…

I told you before, I feel broken.

So much has happened since Merlyn took us. It seems like it really all happened to someone else, not me. I tried to keep Thea safe. Tommy and I both did. Merlyn's hurt me… He wanted information on you and Queen Consolidated. I don't know why he needed it, but I wasn't going to give it to him. I didn't want to betray you in any way. I didn't want be the reason that anyone was hurt or killed… I couldn't live with the knowledge that I might have contributed to that in any way. Like I said, you guys are my family. I love you both. I just couldn't live knowing that… Everything I went through, it was worth it if I kept you both safe…and QC, even though I know that Isabel took it over…

Merlyn has hit me, kicked me, beat me, and he's…he's tortured me in a way that's affected me more than I had thought it would. He tied me to a chair, covered my head with a pillowslip, pulled the chair backwards until it rested on the ground, and then poured water over my face. I thought he was going to kill me. I don't know how long he did it for. It felt like forever. He kept doing it until I threw up and then he finally let me sit up and then untied me. I remember lying on the floor, I remember Merlyn singing something before I finally passed out. I woke up in a small box, wet, numb, and freezing. Eventually, Tommy came and got me.

It seemed like he just took everything out on me when we were on the boat. He kicked my ribs when he said I was disobeying him. At first, they were just bruised. The next time I angered him, though, he kicked them again. I must curl up on the same side… I didn't realize it until I had broken ribs. Tommy and I had been trying to keep Thea safe and Tommy tried his best to keep me safe. By then, he'd also struck Thea and Tommy…and I think something clicked in him. Like, he realized that he was hurting his own children. I'm not making excuses for him, but I saw something in him…

He took us to an island. For a while, it was nice just feeling like we were sort of free. We knew it was really just a fancy prison on a beach, but it was nicer and felt safer than the boat. At first, we all stayed together because that felt safe, but then we all started to stay in our own little hut houses. We had books and games and the beach. I obviously don't have the gene for tanning. That's going to be one of those things where I'm going to be jealous of Thea for.

It wasn't great, but Merlyn wasn't hitting, kicking, beating, or torturing any of us. The only times we HAD to see him was breakfast and dinner. That was it and most of the times we'd try not to talk. Tommy, Thea, and I spent a lot of time together. We missed out on so much not growing up together, but in a way…I think we reclaimed that.

I can't…and I couldn't deal with the shower. Thea would actually come and help me wash my hair in the sink. It was still terrifying, but gross hair is just something I couldn't live with. I have a hard enough time being around the ocean and listening to the sound. The furthest that I'd ever been in the ocean while we were there was to my waist and I was trying to prove something…I think to myself as much as Tommy and Thea.

I had been messing around with the archery equipment that Merlyn had. He'd bought all kinds of sports and recreation equipment in hopes that we'd love it there and have so much to do. I just figured… Well, I don't know if I knew why I was doing it. I think I did it in order to feel closer to you. I missed you. So, I would pretend that I could actually hit the target. Apparently Merlyn had seen and he ended up training me. He even ordered me my own bow, quiver, and arrows. I hated it, but I was good at it…and it was something for me to feel like I was doing something productive.

It came in handy.

One day, I was supposed to meet Thea after my lesson. I found one of the guards assaulting her. I shot him. I killed him. I kept…and I keep telling myself that there was no other choice. He would have hurt Thea…done worse… He could have done the same to me. I was keeping us safe. But I killed a man. I had never taken up that bow in order to shoot and kill people. It had never been a thought in my mind when I was practicing. I mean, I almost shot guards all the time at first…but I hadn't ever thought I might kill them…or anyone.

I think I know how you feel.

At least in partial.

I know how you had once told us how you didn't want to be a killer because Tommy called you a murderer, but it's more, isn't it? There's a weight. I still feel guilty too. Tommy and Thea have both tried to convince me that I did what was right, but I just…I don't know that I can accept that. I don't know if I can really ever be okay with it.

But how do you deal with it?

I don't know how to.

All I know is that as necessary as it might have been, I don't want to do it again. I've been still working with Merlyn, even though it's so hard… I keep telling myself that it might be necessary. I might need that skill. When Merlyn finally decided that we were coming home, he made me hand everything over to him when we got onto the ship. I realized then that the bow, it was my only source of control over anything.

Merlyn has taken away all of my control.

He put me in that room again and he didn't have to tie me up or do anything, but make me sit in that room. It was like I experienced it all over again. Just being there was overwhelming, but I wouldn't put it past him to hurt me again if I don't agree to do what he wants. I don't care…not really. I care about getting Tommy and Thea free without having to give in to what he wants.

I'm weak and I'm broken…

It's why I know that you deserve so much better.

I wrote to you nearly everyday we were on that island, Oliver. I didn't do it because I thought that you might ever read these letters, but because it was the only way to keep me sane. I hope that even if you can't save me that you at least get to read them. I want you to know that I didn't blame you. Sometimes I lost hope, but it was you who always renewed it. I always knew you were out there looking for us, even if you never found us.

I know you, Oliver.

I love you.

I miss you.

You have a second chance at life and I want you to take advantage of that. I want you to continue to save the city. I want you to find someone who you can trust and love. I want you to allow yourself to really fall in love. I want you to allow yourself that. YOU deserve it, Oliver. I know that you think that you don't, but you do. Be happy, Oliver. You really do deserve a wife, children, and dogs running around the Queen Mansion grounds…

I have no idea if I'll be able to convince Merlyn to just let Thea and Tommy go. I'll try my best. But you shouldn't have to be forced into this. If Merlyn will let them go, then don't come after me. Just keep Thea and Tommy safe. Keep yourself safe. Be happy. Live, Oliver. Forget about me.

Goodbye,

Felicity Smoak

Tears were staining the pages. Felicity knew that he'd be able to read them. She also knew that it was unlikely that Oliver would listen to her, if this letter ever reached him, he'd come after her. She just feared what Merlyn would do to him…and she feared him being forced into a life that she didn't want to make him a part of.

God, she loved him.

She was going home…and she just hoped that he was there and that he'd make it all right. That they'd find another way. That she wouldn't have to sacrifice herself to a life with Malcolm Merlyn. As much as Felicity was willing to sacrifice herself, deep down inside she hoped that wouldn't be her fate.

Time would tell.

. . .

TBC…


	23. Yours Always

Starling City.

Felicity was trembling. She knew it was stupid, but it felt like a dream. She was so afraid that she'd wake up and she'd be on that boat, she thought as she looked back at where the boat was docked. She was afraid that she'd be in that room…or in the box… That this was all a dream and that it would soon turn into a nightmare that she'd temporarily forgotten about.

"Felicity…"

They'd been allowed to leave the ship, but they had to be back in two hours. It didn't seem like enough time, especially with how much time had passed since they'd been taken from Starling City. They had a mission, so to speak. They were to finish it all before returning to the ship or there'd be consequences. There'd also be consequences if they didn't return. They all believed Merlyn. He might not have implanted trackers on them or had guards trailing them, but she knew that he'd find them and hurt them if they didn't return and follow through with what they'd promised to do.

"Felicity…"

She snapped back to see Tommy and Thea just staring at her. "I—I'm sorry…" she whispered.

It didn't seem like they were actually there. It seemed like so much was different, but really she didn't think that was true. It seemed dark and foreign, but maybe it was just because it seemed like so long since they'd been there.

"Where did you go?" Tommy asked.

"I was just thinking…" she responded and was quiet for another moment. "It is so strange, but maybe it's just because it's dark…or…because it seems like years…"

"It hasn't been that long."

"But she's right," Thea spoke up. "It does seem like THAT long."

"Well, we're here now," Tommy said. He looked at Felicity. "Are you sure about this?"

"I have to talk to him at the very least," Felicity replied. "There has to be another way, though… It's not fair to him… It's not fair to either of you… I'd rather be stuck with Merlyn, if he'd let you both leave—"

"Not happening," Tommy replied quickly. "He can keep ME."

"Tommy—"

"Well, I would volunteer, but I'm pretty sure I'm too mouthy for him to agree to keep," Thea said. "Also, Oliver would definitely come after him…"

Felicity and Tommy both smiled just a little bit in response. Tommy turned to her and reached out to touch her arm. "You're not being left alone with him… We'll figure something out…" he whispered. "Something that won't mean guilt or pushing anyone into something they don't want…unless it's running a company…we're all screwed on that front."

Thea laughed this time. "It's easy, I promise."

"Verdant is nowhere as difficult as managing Merlyn Global," Tommy argued as they walked.

"I'm sure I could do it," Thea said confidently.

"That's what scares me." They were all quiet for a few minutes as they walked on. "Do we even know where we are?"

"Nope," Thea said. "Merlyn gave you the allowance money," Thea teased. "Either way, I think we're going to need to find a taxi…if they have those around here…and get to Verdant."

"I'm suddenly feeling like it's going to take us two hours to get to the club."

Felicity was about to open her mouth to say something when she felt droplets of water falling down on her. She closed up her mouth and immediately looked upward; panic already rising inside of her and hatred at the fact that these little droplets had already screwed with her.

"Felicity?" Thea whispered. "You okay?"

She could barely bring herself to nod and then look over at them. They both knew that this really wasn't a weather condition she was excited to be out in. God, how she wished they had a car right now. "Let's just get to Verdant," she pushed out as calmly as possible.

Thea fell in line along side of her as they hurried along towards where they were fairly sure the road was. Maybe even a phone? Thea's hand slipped into hers and she felt a light squeeze. Felicity looked over at her little sister and smiled. She was glad that she had both of them there to support her. She was doing her best to keep it together. She knew that losing it right now wasn't going to help them. She could do this, or at least she hoped that she could.

. . .

When they finally arrived at Verdant, all three of them found it far too easily to get inside. "They really need to move the hide-a-key," Tommy mumbled. "It's still in the same spot since I was running this place…"

"I run it better," Thea teased with a bright smile.

"I run the club under your club," Felicity tried to join in.

They both smiled back at her as they followed her towards the entrance to the Foundry. Tommy already knew where it was and Thea hadn't been surprised when they explained where it was before. Felicity was leading the way and she had to admit, now that they were in and out of the rain, she was so excited that she felt like she was going to burst. There were nerves mixed in there, of course, but it was mostly excitement. She was going to hug her guys…and the others. There was going to be so much hugging… They all were probably going to think that she'd really lost it, even Tommy and Thea, with how much hugging she had planned.

Felicity typed in the code for the door.

Nothing.

Frowning, Felicity typed it in again.

Nothing.

"Maybe you did it wrong," Thea suggested. "Try again."

Confident that she had typed it correctly the first two times, but deciding that maybe the electronics were just being finicky and the third time was the charm, Felicity typed it in a third time.

Nothing.

"They must have changed it," she said in complete sadness.

It hit her like a brick wall. The code to the Foundry had been changed. She didn't know how else to get in. She didn't have her tablet. She didn't have any other thing that she could use. How was she going to break through it? This is one time where Felicity really wished she could have a hammer, just so she could smash the damn thing. Though, she was fairly sure that wouldn't get them anywhere.

"So, why don't we just call them?" Thea suggested. "We can use Verdant's phone."

Felicity was still pissed about them changing the code on her. She didn't care if they thought she was dead and therefore would be locked out if she decided to return from the dead. She was apart of Team Arrow and the Foundry was part of her home. She was not happy about being locked out. She started to pound on the door. Tears were streaming down her face.

"Hey, hey," Tommy said as he moved to grab her.

She'd noticed that Thea had walked the few steps back that she'd moved away. Felicity was sure that she seemed crazy, but they didn't understand. They didn't understand what this meant…what it meant to her. How much it hurt—

And then the door was being opened.

There was an audible gasp and before any questions could be asked, Felicity was launching herself to hug the person on the other side of the door. She felt like she was fairly lucky that that person had been smart enough to grab a hold of the railing or else they'd have tumbled backwards and down the stairs. She didn't care though right now, she just needed to hug a part of her family and know that she was 'home', even if it was for a very short amount of time.

Tears were still falling and eventually, the arms wrapped around her. "Felicity," Sara Lance said. Felicity could hear the surprise in Sara's voice. She was certain that she had to have looked at the camera footage before actually opening the door, but she supposed that people didn't just come back to the dead…and then come to your doorstep every day.

Felicity clung to Sara. She didn't think she'd ever been so happy to see the other woman. It was so strange since out of the four of them, Felicity had known Sara Lance the least amount of time. She didn't care. She was hugging first and probably the longest. Her hands ran through Sara's blonde hair and she just needed to feel that Sara was real and tangible, that she wasn't going to wake up.

"Come inside," Sara said a moment later as she pulled away. She really wasn't ready for her to pull away, but Felicity just stood there. "Close the door," Sara directed up to Thea. She descended downstairs without another word.

At the bottom of the stairs, Felicity found that only Diggle and Sara were at the Foundry. No Oliver. No Roy. She supposed that since it was dark, that maybe, just maybe the two of them were out. Then it hit her, why wasn't anyone up running Verdant? Why wasn't the club in full swing? Was that why it had been so weird when they'd arrived and it just hadn't hit any of them? Felicity opened her mouth to start asking questions, but Diggle spoke first.

He and Sara drew guns on them and Felicity felt like she'd just walked through the looking glass. "Put your hands up and get on your knees."

Her jaw dropped, but her hands were up in the air without a question. She didn't know what was happening, but it scared her. "Digg—"

"Stay quiet," he instructed. His tone was sharp and short.

Felicity looked to the others who had done what Diggle had asked and she was the last to drop to her knees. She was suddenly thankful that she'd worn pants as she'd literally dropped to her knees and at least the fabric would allow for some cushion to her skin. Her mind raced and she stared down at the ground as she tried to piece together some sense of what had happened and what was happening…what reality she'd stepped in.

"I'm dreaming," she suddenly whispered.

"You're NOT dreaming," Diggle replied harshly.

She shook her head and more tears fell. How could she be sure? It was either that she was dreaming or this reality was a real life nightmare. She didn't know if there was a better one to accept. Suddenly, Sara was patting her down; Felicity guessed that she was checking for weapons.

"Why do you think you're dreaming?" Sara suddenly asked.

Felicity was taken by surprise by the question as Sara continued to pat me down. "Because…" She stopped and really thought about it. "Because you guys should be really excited to see me… There should be hugging… You should be calling Oliver and Roy to tell them that we're okay… You should—" Felicity's verbal train of thought was cut off when the door at the top opened and there was a rather loud thud followed by something metallic hitting the wall. Felicity's mind just went to Merlyn coming after them. She curled up and cringed.

"Sorry! SORRY!"

A gentle hand was on her shoulder. "You're safe," Sara told her. "Good job, Roy! Scare our company!" she yelled.

"Company?" Roy called as footfalls could be heard more distinctively.

"Company," Diggle repeated.

Felicity uncurled and turned to look back towards the bottom of the stairs, where Roy had stopped and had started to drop the cans in his hand to join with the other cans already pooling around. "Roy," she whispered, as if it was another reason why this wasn't a dream.

"Thea," Roy breathed.

Without saying anything, Thea was up and hugging Roy. No one shot her and no one said anything. They just let them hug and then when the kissing started, she heard Tommy groan. "Okay, okay…don't need to see that," Tommy complained and then looked to Diggle. "Can we get up now? And can you stop terrorizing her?" he asked as he motioned to Felicity. Diggle looked back at her.

"We had to be sure," Diggle said.

"Of what? That we weren't armed body snatchers?" Tommy asked as he got up.

Felicity didn't move right away, Sara was half helping her up before she realized that she hadn't gotten up yet. Diggle moved towards her and his face changed as he tucked his gun away. The hard, serious soldier face was gone and the happy to see her face that she had originally expected appeared. "I'm sorry," he whispered as he hugged her tightly. Felicity held on tight and closed her eyes. This was just how she'd imagined it would be. New tears fell and sobs rang out from her chest, which only hurt her more.

"I missed you," she forced out. "All of you."

"Hey, whatever happened out there," Diggle said as he swayed a bit as he hugged her. "You're safe now—"

"No," Felicity countered.

Diggle pulled back all too soon, sooner than Sara had. He stared at her, holding her at arm's length. "What do you mean?"

"We can't stay," she whispered sadly.

"You can. You are."

Felicity shook her head.

"We have an hour," Tommy announced. "And we need Oliver."

"Oliver?" Sara spoke up. "He's not here."

"Where is he?" Thea questioned.

Diggle shrugged. "He's been off the grid over about a month and a half. We've been running things here… Well, we just roped Roy back in about three weeks ago…"

"I thought you were dead," Felicity heard Roy say.

"You have NO idea?" Tommy asked.

Felicity felt her hope fleeting. They were doomed. They were never leaving that ship. She felt like it was getting harder to breathe, the edges of her vision blurred as her chest throbbed, and she gripped Diggle's arms with her nails.

"Felicity?" Diggle asked and grabbed her.

"Felicity!" she heard Tommy yell and he was there too. "You have to breathe… We're going to find Oliver." He looked at Diggle. "You don't understand. We HAVE to find Oliver. You HAVE to be able to talk to him."

Diggle was already scooping her up and carrying her to the metal table that they often used for medical reasons. He was checking her over and Felicity found that it was hard to her to concentrate. They all became blurry and so did whatever they were saying.

She didn't know how much time had passed, but she woke up on the table. Her heart wasn't racing, she could breathe, and her chest didn't hurt more than it normally did. There was a blanket covering her and she felt a bit warmer. Felicity sat up and found that the others were all talking quietly not far from her. Diggle was already walking towards her before she could announce that she was awake. From what she'd caught, Tommy was filling them in on what was going on. She pulled the blanket around her as her legs settled over the side.

Diggle was wrapping his arms around her as she sat on the edge of the metal table. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean to scare you… I didn't know—"

Felicity's eyes squeezed shut. She had no idea what Tommy and Thea had said to him, but she feared of all the details that he'd shared. She held onto him though and was thankful that she had a second chance to hug him. She'd really missed him and she had no idea how they were going to go back to the boat now… She'd never see John Diggle again.

"We know where Oliver is," Tommy announced.

Diggle moved away from her and Felicity turned her attention to Tommy. "Where?"

"Tibet," Sara answered. "There's a tracker in his boot."

"Though, he's not picking up his phone," Roy filled in.

"Typical," Thea added.

"But if Oliver—" Felicity said and then her voice broke and she couldn't continue. She covered her face with her hands and tried to breathe. Tears threatened to fall, but she told herself that she needed to try to stay calm. "How much time do we have?" she asked instead.

"Not long," Tommy replied. "But we have a reliable ride this time."

Hands were on her wrists, pulling them down and John Diggle stared at her. "I don't want to let you go…"

"You have to," she whispered her reply.

"And I hate Malcolm Merlyn for that," he responded, anger was in his voice even though it was gentle.

"John, I—" she whispered as she reached out to cup his cheek with her hand. She didn't want to leave him. She didn't want to have to go back to that boat, to Merlyn, to that room, to…whatever punishment would be waiting for them.

"Sara and I are going to go after him," Diggle told her suddenly. "But we're looking at probably close to three days… And that's IF we can find Oliver easily enough."

"He might not believe you," Thea spoke up.

"Then I'll knock him out and we'll drag him home!" Diggle announced as he turned back to the others. He looked back to her. He reached out and touched her cheek. "I need you to hold on a little longer…"

"They told you," she barely whispered."

"They told me," Diggle whispered back. "At least I THINK they told me everything… He shouldn't have touched you… He shouldn't have hurt you… He shouldn't have done—"

"He's my father," she squeaked out quietly.

"That's no excuse," Diggle told her. "It gives him even less of a reason to hurt you."

"You don't—"

He looked confused suddenly as she spoke. "Did you REALLY think that I'd think of YOU differently?" Diggle asked.

Felicity shook her head slowly.

"Felicity Meghan Smoak," he whispered as tears fell from his eyes. It wasn't often that John Diggle was emotional, so it confused her even more now. He pulled her into his big, strong arms again and she held tight. "Nothing on this Earth could make me love you any less than I already do. I thought that maybe we'd lost you and you have NO idea how much it's going to break my heart to let you go back into Merlyn's grasp…"

. . .

"You're telling me that you THINK that Oliver Queen will be here in a few days?!" Merlyn bellowed.

Felicity cringed. He was pissed. She had a feeling that that was coming, but it couldn't be helped. It wasn't like he'd allowed them to call ahead and told Oliver to make sure he penciled in their return because they HAD to have him in Starling City. What else could he expect from them? They'd already taken the necessary steps to contact him.

"His team has the information and they're leaving tonight to retrieve him from Tibet," Tommy told him.

Malcolm had his mouth open and then it curled upward into a sinister smile. "Tibet?"

They all just stared at him.

"Nanda Parbat?" he questioned.

"They didn't tell us the EXACT location," Tommy told him.

Felicity felt all the blood run out of her face. She was already freezing from being damp from their walk in the rain before and then the running between the car and the boat in the downpour, but this wasn't helping. She suddenly felt like she was going to collapse. Her legs felt weak and she reached out to use her hand to steady herself against the wall. "No," she whispered.

The League of Assassins.

Nanda Parbat.

Why hadn't she put together the dots earlier? Did he think that Isabel had something to do with their disappearance? Or was it mainly because Merlyn had been in the League of Assassins garb? It suddenly hit her that she didn't make sure that they'd made sure that Diggle knew about Isabel Rochev being Talia al Ghul. Right now, though, there was nothing she could do about it.

"Perhaps my future son-in-law has gone to join in my brotherhood," Merlyn pondered for a moment. His eyes settled on her and she could see the fire start to boil over inside of him, like he'd suddenly remembered that they'd failed his mission. "YOU! You didn't do what I said!" he said suddenly.

Felicity was behind Tommy, but Merlyn moved faster. He grabbed her and swung her around until she hit the metal door. Once she was on the ground, he started to kick her. She could hear Tommy and Thea screaming at him to stop and was certain that they were trying to get him to stop in a physical way, but she'd closed her eyes and tried to curl up to protect as much of her body as she could.

The door opened unexpectedly and Merlyn was hauling her out of the room, Tommy and Thea screaming behind them before the heavy door thudded shut.

Merlyn was dragging her through the boat and she found herself being able to half walk at one point when he pulled her up a bit. She was babbling. She knew that she was, but even Felicity didn't know what was coming out of her mouth. It had to be pleadings, but she just couldn't even hear her own words.

The door to the room opened and she suddenly started to scream and pull back. Felicity cried a new and felt the terror and panic build inside of her. "PLEASE!" she screamed at him.

Her screaming and pleading fell on deaf ears. He kicked her again until she fell into a heap on the floor. She could hear the creak of the box and she started to push herself in a pathetic crawl/drag towards the door that he'd left wide open. She didn't get far before Merlyn started to drag her backwards by her ankle.

"You better hope that Oliver Queen loves you as much as you love him," Merlyn told her as he was shoving her into the tight confines of the box.

She pushed with her hands and screamed and kicked, but he latched it shut anyways. Felicity screamed and cried before she couldn't anymore. Her chest heaved with pain and she tried to kick, but her legs just hurt. She hit the sides with the palm of her hands. She tried until she just couldn't anymore. She couldn't move her limbs and she couldn't scream and she couldn't cry. Her chest hurt and she felt like she was going to die. Her damp clothes were making her shiver and Felicity was certain that she would die before Oliver was brought back to Starling City.

Felicity closed her eyes and thought about Oliver.

Thinking about what she would normally be doing, Felicity thought about how she'd normally be writing him a letter. She was certain that the letter that she'd written the day before had been her final one to Oliver. So, she thought about what she WOULD have written if she could write him this final letter before she died in that box.

Dear Oliver,

I know you're coming, but you'll be too late. Take care of Thea and Tommy. Know that I died loving you. Know that I never doubted that you were a hero. No matter what you think right now, Oliver, you are a hero. Don't forget that.

I love you, more than you know.

Now, please, just come home.

Make things right.

Be happy.

Love Tommy and Thea when I can't.

Yours Always,

Felicity

. . .

TBC…


	24. What Dreams May Come

She woke briefly, she was numb and shivering. She couldn't move her legs or her arms. Whether it was from exhaustion or from being so cold. Felicity moved her head slightly, her face felt like she could feel the paths her tears had taken, like somehow they'd been etched into the delicate skin of her face. It was hard to cling to consciousness when her body was so fatigued and hurt. Felicity let her head fall forward until her forehead rested against the side of the box. "Tommy…. Thea…" she whispered before her eyes slid shut again.

. . .

"Tommy? Could I talk to you for a minute?" Felicity asked as she approached her brother. He was among a group of friends and normally she wouldn't dare approach, but she really didn't know what else to do right now. He turned to her and looked extremely irritated, he said something to his friends before turning and walking over to her.

"What have I told you about talking to me at school? Just because Dad is coming back, it doesn't make his leaving us any less your fault," Tommy told her.

"I just wanted to see if I could get a ride home with you. I normally carpool with Heather, but she's out sick today and—"

"No."

"But—"

"Find another way," he said and turned before looking back at her. "And DON'T talk to me again."

Felicity sighed and watched him walk away. This was how it had been between them since Malcolm had brought her to his mansion. She didn't know why he'd insisted on taking her away from her mother, but he had.

And then he'd just left.

For years now, she and Tommy had been raised by staff. Tommy did his best to talk to her as little as possible. She'd tried to get him to like her. It never worked. So, she tried to give him his space, which was fine…until she didn't have a ride home. Felicity hated to have to call the house and have someone else pick her up. That meant that they'd sent a car…and she hated to be fussed over. Felicity would much rather get into a mini van with Heather and two other girls.

She walked her way towards where she normally would have eaten lunch with Heather. As Felicity came upon the grassy area where Tommy sat with his friends, she stopped to watch. She knew all of his friends, but she wasn't allowed to talk to any of them…which worked out well since she didn't share a class with any of them.

They were laughing and running about, not even concerned about eating their lunches. It was the perfect kind of group. Oliver Queen was more of a brother to Tommy than she was his sister. Thea Queen was there today, she'd noticed that her brother didn't seem to mind if she mixed or mingled with his friends. Sara and Laurel Lance, siblings, were also among the group. They all seemed so happy. Laurel was the popular one among the group, though Thea was popular amongst the more younger crowd.

What she wouldn't give to feel included or even a smidgeon closer to her brother like Thea Queen. Sometimes she hated her life. Today, was definitely one of those days. She noticed that Tommy had noticed her watching and Felicity moved quickly away and in the direction she'd end up eating alone.

Books were Felicity's favorite companions. They tended to be even better company than Heather, there was nothing wrong with her friend…it was just that books were always there for her and they could take her away from it all. She knew that they'd be there all her life and they'd continue to be her escape even when Malcolm Merlyn returned home.

She found her spot to sit and started to eat her lunch while pulling out her book. She was reading 'Jane Eyre' and right now, it wasn't helping her feel any better about being lonely. It was an escape, just the same, though. And she needed that.

Felicity found herself wondering what it would be like to be an orphan. She didn't think it would be as hard as it was in 'Jane Eyre' now, but she doubted that she'd like it. She didn't think orphans had very man books and she liked books. She sighed and closed her book. She needed something happier… Something that was going to make her feel like her life wouldn't push on like this until she could leave the Merlyn Mansion.

Thoughts of Merlyn allowing her to go back to her mother had passed through her head, but she didn't think that he'd allow that. She was his daughter. As much as he didn't seem to have time to be there for them these past years, she knew that he seemed to put a rather high value on family. They were well taken care of and really had no want for anything in the world except him…and a family. What they were was not a family. They were not whole. They were broken and disjointed and she hated it.

"Do you mind if I sit here?"

Felicity looked up and blinked.

"Um… I—I mean— Tommy— And I, well—" she rambled on.

The other girl sat down across from her and she stopped. Thea Queen. Thea Queen was sitting across from her. Felicity pushed up her glasses as she continued to stare. Thea Queen was younger than she was, but Felicity couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was. She beamed at Felicity and she couldn't help but smile back.

"I'm Thea—"

"I know," Felicity said quickly.

Thea smiled. "Sounds like Tommy was being a jerk."

Felicity shrugged. "He doesn't like me much."

"Brothers never like their little sisters," Thea told her as if it were a secret. They were quiet for a few minutes and ate their lunches. Felicity still couldn't believe that Thea Queen was sitting there eating lunch with her. "What are you doing after school today?"

"Finding a ride home."

"I'll take you, if you don't mind going by the mall first."

"Mall?"

"Yeah, there's this dress… Do you like shopping?" Thea asked.

Felicity held up her book. "Books. I'm good at shopping for books."

Thea beamed. "You know, if you wanted to get something… I could definitely help you pick something out."

"Would it just be us?" Felicity asked curiously.

"Two of my friends are supposed to come, but don't worry…"

"I don't know…"

"Come on," Thea encouraged. "And then you can come over to my house for a while… Plus, my parents would probably appreciate seeing me with someone who carries a book around."

Felicity laughed. "I guess I fit that part pretty well."

"Aren't you Malcolm Merlyn's daughter?"

"Yes."

"So, see… Your dad and my dad are best friends… So, shouldn't we be friends too?"

Felicity smiled. For the first time, in a long time, she felt like she was going to make a new friend. Heather had been her friend since Merlyn had her taken away from her mother and she was put in a new school. But Thea, it was different. Felicity wasn't quite sure how…but it was.

It was like having a little sister, she thought.

Felicity had always wanted a little sister. Or a sister. She'd always thought that a sister would be kinder to her than Tommy was. Though, she had a feeling that Tommy would have been a great bigger brother…if they'd had the same mother. Felicity wasn't stupid, she understood that their father cheated on Tommy's mother and now she was gone…so he had to take out his anger on someone… Felicity just liked to think a sister would have been nicer.

"Okay," she finally agreed. "Thank you."

"What are you reading?"

"'Jane Eyre'," Felicity told her. "Do you ever read Austen?"

"Right now, we're reading 'Harry Potter'," Thea told her. "But when I was little… I remember my dad reading 'Pride and Prejudice'. I think he was hoping that I'd love books as much as it seems you do."

"They're really all I have…"

"Well, now you have me," Thea told her. "I needed a big sister anyways. Oliver's great, but he can be just as big of a jerk as Tommy can be… That's probably why they're best friends."

Felicity smiled. "Thank you."

"Will you read me a bit?" Thea asked before taking a bite of her apple, her head motioning in the direction of the book.

. . .

Her own cries woke her. They were hoarse and they scared her. She coughed and squeezed her eyes shut again. She tried to cling to the thought of her and Thea. How they'd been together on the island reading 'Pride and Prejudice'. She missed that. Curled up on the couch together. "I have not the pleasure of understanding you…" she whispered before passing out again.

. . .

"Felicity? My Girl?"

She'd hidden away with her book to try to get some reading in. She preferred to read earlier in the day when he was in a better mood. She had no idea if he was continuing to take his pills, all she knew was that by the end of the day…she was crying herself to sleep.

"I'm here," she called out reluctantly.

Felicity knew that in doing so, that she was going to start off her day earlier than she'd expected to. She just didn't want to spend today crying or hurting. How she missed the island. She'd thought about bringing up them returning to the island…or going somewhere else. Felicity just didn't know if he'd agree to go very far from Starling City. She wasn't allowed to leave the boat or see Tommy and Thea, but she had remained with Merlyn in order for her siblings to leave.

It had to have been the hardest choice she'd made in her whole life, but she'd made it just the same. It had been harder to convince Thea and Tommy to help her convince Oliver and Diggle. She was certain that the only reason that Oliver had agreed was because he thought that eventually he could get Felicity back.

Felicity knew that that wouldn't happen.

Someone had to keep Malcolm Merlyn away from the others. Someone had to keep him company and make sure that he felt like he had family.

"There you are," Merlyn said with a smile when he found her. He crouched down and looked at the cover of her book. "You know, I can get you more books… Haven't you read that one?"

Felicity nodded. "But I felt the need to re-read it."

"I could read it to you…"

"It's okay," she said and suddenly shut it. "I was done for now… Why don't we do something else?" she suggested.

This was how her day always went. Hide and try to have time to herself and then spend the rest of the day trying to keep Merlyn happy and distracted by anything and everything at her disposal on the boat.

"Archery?" she suggested.

"You do need to practice," Merlyn told her.

"You should practice WITH me," Felicity encouraged as she got to her feet, leaving her book behind.

"I like watching you do it," Merlyn responded. "I don't feel the drive for it like I used to…"

"I was thinking… Maybe we should go away from here," Felicity brought up.

"Why would we want to leave Starling City?"

"Thea and Tommy don't visit—"

"That's YOUR fault!" he suddenly exploded and turned on her. He pushed her against the wall and got in her face. "You're weak! You're a disappointment! You don't even deserve to carry my name!"

Felicity closed her eyes and tried to make herself as small as possible. This wasn't an uncommon outburst. She had tried tread lightly, but how did you get around the fact that her brother and sister didn't visit and they would never do it? That had been part of what was so hard about committing to staying there with Merlyn. If she was sacrificing her life, then they needed to be able to have a life. An actual one, not where they had a foot in both worlds.

"Please, Daddy," she whispered. Her voice was quiet and pitched. It almost sounded childlike in her ears and she wondered if that was always why he stopped…because maybe she sounded like a little girl.

"Felicity?" he breathed. His face always changed and it was almost as if someone else had been in control of him for him just a moment before. "Oh… My Girl… I didn't… I…"

She opened her eyes and tried to push forward a smile. "It's okay," she choked out. "I didn't mean to get you upset… I just thought that maybe the island…or somewhere else might be a nice change of scenery…"

"Sounds like a vacation…"

"Wouldn't it be nice to have a vacation? Just the two of us?" Felicity asked.

Merlyn nodded slowly. "It would be nice…for us to get away…just for a little bit… Tommy and Thea—"

"They would understand," she said gently. "They would want you to have some time for yourself… We could bring them back something," Felicity tried to convince further.

"That's thoughtful," he said with a smile before heading down the hallway once again. "We were going to go do archery, weren't we?" he asked as he looked over to her.

Felicity nodded and tried her hardest to keep a smile in place. "That's right… I'll even remember to stand straighter this time."

"I'm telling you, if you do that…you're going to hit that target right in the middle. Perfect," Merlyn told her like three minutes ago hadn't even happened.

. . .

The sound of the ocean sounded louder than before or maybe it was just that she was concentrating on it. She didn't know. All she knew was that she felt like she'd been forgotten in that box. Felicity couldn't move, not even her head. She was so drained and so completely done. Tommy wasn't coming this time, she told herself. As much as she knew that she needed to stay positive, she just couldn't. "We all know him to be a proud, unpleasant sort of man; but this would be nothing if you really liked him," she whispered to herself. She didn't know why the lines kept coming to her, but they brought her a bit of comfort and they would remind her of being safe…being somewhere else.

Anywhere else was better than where she was right now.

"Oliver," she whispered suddenly as she struggled to keep her eyes open. It was almost a prayer. "Come home," Felicity pushed out in a breath before being pulled back into the darkness.

. . .

The kisses made her laugh for some reason. His fingers ran through her hair and for just a moment, she was happy. Felicity stared up at him. He was her husband, but he was also Oliver. It was still something that she was wrapping her head around. They'd been legally married for six months, but in many ways…they weren't married. They were taking things slow….because he was Oliver and he respected her. Neither one of them had been ready when they'd been pushed into it.

"You're always so giggly in the morning," he whispered before kissing along her neck.

"That's probably because that's when I'm happiest," she admitted and put her hands on either side of his face when he pulled back away from her neck. He was staring at her and she couldn't stop beaming. Even if they were taking things slow, she still was happy that they were sharing a bed. Waking up in his arms every morning was almost healing.

Oliver nodded a moment later. "I know it's hard…"

She'd kept this to herself for almost a whole day because, well, she just didn't want to hear it from Moira that she'd talked to Oliver. Felicity was fairly sure that Moira thought that she'd just do what she wanted. But that's not how it was between Felicity and Oliver. They talked and they took things slowly. Felicity was fairly sure that Moira would be mortified to know that they both slept in clothing…and that they'd yet to consummate their marriage.

"Your mother," she whispered and rolled onto her side. She couldn't bring herself to look at him while she said it. "Your mother wants us to have a baby…now."

"She doesn't—"

"Merlyn was here when she said it," Felicity added quickly. "He was pushing it too… That's what they expect, Oliver…"

He sighed and pulled her back to him. Her gently rolled her face, so that she was looking at him. "They can't control every aspect of our lives, Felicity," Oliver said slowly. He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "And we will only have a child if it's what WE want… If WE are ready for it…"

"They're going to be planning our whole lives," she whispered as tears fell from her eyes."

"Shh…" he hushed. His fingers ran through strands of her hair and his lips pressed against hers. When he pulled away, he just stared at her and then brushed her tears away. "Today… No Queen Consolidated. No parents. Just the two of us."

"Oliver—"

"We'll do anything that you want, Felicity," he promised.

"Really?" she asked and brightened a little. They hadn't even been allowed to go on a honeymoon or have any time alone. Not that they would have used that time in any traditional newly married way, but it would be quiet time. They both could use that.

"Really," he confirmed with a smile and then kissed her again. "Anything."

There was a knock at their door and Felicity groaned. She wasn't going to get her day. She knew that. Felicity curled into him and sighed. He held her tight and was the one to respond.

"Yes?"

The door opened and Felicity just held onto him more. She didn't even bother to look at who it was. Roy and Thea were ordered to stay there at Queen Mansion as well, but they were normally good about not walking in on them unless they were given permission. No one wanted to see anything that they wouldn't be able to wipe from their memory…

"I can't believe you're both still in bed!" Moira exclaimed. "Why are you wearing clothes in bed?"

"Mom! I didn't say to come in!"

"It's eight o'clock, Oliver," Moira said firmly. "You should have both been at breakfast and already gone…"

"We're not five!"

"I can't believe that you let her sleep in clothes! That's not good for you sex life, Oliver—"

"You're leaving!" he shouted as he got out of bed. This meant that he was leaving her, but at least this meant Moira was leaving the room. So, it was worth it in that aspect.

"And YOU'RE in underwear?! Really?! I'm never going to have a grandchild!" Moira went on. She sounded very much like it all meant the end of the world.

Felicity was just glad that she could stay there in bed while Oliver took care of everything. She sighed and buried her head into Oliver's pillow. She inhaled his scent and tried to breathe. She didn't need to be upset by Moira. Nothing could change how she acted, Felicity knew that. But she knew that Oliver would also protect her the best way he could.

"I'm sorry—"

"Don't apologize for her," Felicity cut him off. "I've told you. If we both apologize for our parents, then we'll be constantly apologizing to each other…" She rolled a bit and looked up at him. "I love you."

He crawled back into bed and wrapped her in his arms. "I love you, too," he whispered before starting to lay kisses all along her neck.

. . .

Tears streamed from her eyes and she wanted to go back to sleep so badly. Felicity wanted to live in that dream of Oliver. She didn't even care if Moira came back in and interrupted them. She just wanted to be in the safety of his arms and be near Oliver. "I must learn to be content with being happier than I deserve," she told herself. Even though she didn't want to ruin Oliver's life, she supposed that her life could be worse…

She could be okay with a little better…

At least, she thought that maybe she could do it.

Could she?

Would it really ruin his life?

Would he see it that way?

Would he forgive her?

Did she really have a choice?

She willed every ounce of strength left in her to pull her arms together, crossing them slightly, and pulling them against her chest. She closed her eyes and thought about Oliver holding her, hugging her. This was the closest she was going to get right now, but she wanted to go back to that dream…

Come home, Oliver.

. . .

TBC…


	25. The Promise

It was dark and cold. It wasn't quite raining; it was misting more than anything else. There were very few lights, but Oliver knew which boat it was from where it stood. It took him a long few minutes to finally work up the courage to walk towards the boat. He knew they were watching… Diggle, Sara, and Roy had driven him and they had hopes that he could go in there and agree to what Merlyn wanted and walk out with the three people that he'd thought he'd lost.

It wasn't that he was afraid of Merlyn. It was that he was having a hard time coming to terms with everything that Sara and Diggle had already told him. He knew that Thea and Felicity were alive. Even when he'd start to lose hope, something would grab him and remind him that they were in fact, out there and waiting for him. Like the brief phone call… He could still remember Felicity crying and her voice…and Thea in the background.

That hadn't led anywhere.

He'd even reached out to the Bratva, but there was nothing. It was like whomever took them was a ghost. Oliver had practically searched the world for them, carrying pictures of both Thea and Felicity. He'd gone to all the underground and shady areas… He would have sold his soul if it meant just a nugget of viable information.

He'd been searching for them for months now…

Oliver had gone to Nanda Parbat.

He'd thought about joining the League of Assassins…

Oliver had made it there and Felicity's words: 'find another way' echoed through his head. He'd broken down there and he'd thought about both Thea and Felicity. The two woman that he was closest to… At one point in his life, it would have been Thea and perhaps, Laurel… But not anymore. He hadn't realized how much he needed her. She'd been this girl in the IT department that wouldn't believe his lies, but she'd do it anyways… She was bright and filled with this light… And like with Tommy, he couldn't bring himself to desecrate her memory…even if he knew she was still alive. He couldn't do that. How could he live with himself? How would he be able to face her when he finally found them?

So, instead, he'd been scouting the area… He'd even gone so far as to try to talk directly to Ra's al Ghul in order to see if he could get any information, if he'd hired someone… If he knew anything. He never received a response, but he'd quickly realized that Talia had returned to Nanda Parbat. Even though he knew that the woman that he knew as Isabel Rochev probably had answers, he wasn't about to start an all out war with the League of Assassins…

Out of nowhere, Sara and Diggle had showed up. He hadn't expected that. He'd lost his phone somewhere along the way. He really hadn't cared too much about it. He had figured that if he needed to make a call home, then he could use a local phone. But they'd showed up and told him a story that he almost didn't believe… But Diggle had taken photos on his phone before they'd left. It was clear, mainly because Sara and Roy were in the pictures…and the look on Felicity's face, that they were current. And it only made him worry more about them. Thea and Tommy looked different too, but they looked far closer to genuinely happy than Felicity did.

So, he'd come home.

He didn't care what price tag Merlyn had on their freedom and safety, Oliver would happily pay in any way he could. It didn't matter. His life was already forfeit without her…without them. It didn't matter if it was just him.

Once he arrived at the boat, though, he was showed in like he'd been expected. Oliver was sure that Merlyn had known he was coming…it was just a matter of time after he'd let Tommy, Felicity, and Thea go to the Foundry. But how they greeted him, it was like he'd been right on time for an appointment with Merlyn. It had been days… But he was led right through the boat, even at that late hour. Oliver hadn't wanted to waste any time waiting until morning.

"Oliver!" Merlyn greeted, as if this was a normal thing. His arms were open wide and a bright smile was on his face. "I've been expecting you!"

"I want to see them," Oliver said slowly through gritted teeth.

Merlyn frowned slightly in response. "I'm going to associate your lack of manners right now with the fact that you probably haven't slept in at least two days."

"I haven't seen Felicity and Thea in ninety—" Oliver started before Merlyn interrupted him. He knew exactly how many days it had been since he'd seen them.

"And Tommy?"

"I assumed that they were together," Oliver said.

"Have you heard my terms?"

"Yes," Oliver responded. He knew what Merlyn wanted. Part of him didn't want to question it, but then another part of him reminded him that this involved more than just him. It involved Felicity too.

"And?"

"I have to talk to her," he said, forcing himself to talk calmer.

"About?"

Oliver sighed and stared directly at Merlyn. "This should be HER decision too."

"If she doesn't agree, then I'll take this boat and you'll never see any of them again," Merlyn told him.

"Please…let me see them," he begged. He felt like he was so close, but so far. He wanted to push past him, but he knew that that wouldn't get him anywhere. Force wasn't going to get him to Tommy, Felicity, or Thea any faster. It would only cause more problems. There were enough problems; he didn't need to add to them.

"They aren't all together," Merlyn said evenly. "You can choose to see either Felicity or Tommy and Thea."

Oliver hated that choice.

It gave him some solace to know that Tommy and Thea were together, which meant that Tommy was looking out for Thea. But Felicity… She was alone and he'd already heard more than enough that made him want to kill Malcolm Merlyn where he stood before him.

"Felicity," Oliver said.

"I thought you might say that," Merlyn said with a smile. He walked towards a table and came back with a folded piece of paper. He handed it to Oliver. "Before I take you to my dear Felicity… You should read this…" He waited a moment before walking past him. "I'll give you a few minutes… Knock on the door when you're ready," Merlyn told him before pulling the door shut behind him.

Oliver opened the folded pieces of paper and immediately recognized the writing as Felicity's. The ink was stained with tears and before he even started to read the words, his gut was already twisted…more so than before he'd stepped onto that boat.

His own tears fell onto the paper, staining it as well, as he read it. It was heart breaking and all he wanted to do was to hold her and tell her that he'd try and keep her safe. He wanted to promise, but Oliver didn't know if he could really keep that promise to her. As much as he hated to admit that. It was the truth.

The last part was what killed him the most…

How could she think that he'd let her stay there with Merlyn? How could she think that he wouldn't give over his life for hers? It wasn't a question. He would hand over his life in order to save hers without a second thought. He—

Oliver realized in that second, that in all of the months of searching for her that he had known that there was something more between him and Felicity. There had been a reason why he couldn't stand to be with Sara anymore, let alone look at her. It was because he'd been denying something… He'd been denying feelings for Felicity…

He loved her.

Oliver Queen, the playboy millionaire…well, he had been that man…that boy…he loved Felicity Smoak… She wasn't like any other woman in his life, past or present, and he knew that there was a reason for that. She was unique, smart, beautiful, and too good for him… He still couldn't believe that she felt that HE deserved better than her. Who in the world would be better than Felicity Smoak?

He folded up the letter and tucked it away in his pocket, intent on keeping it. It was addressed to him, he was keeping it. Oliver moved to the door and just stood there for a moment, trying to calm himself back down. He couldn't get emotional, at least not out of control emotional… Oliver knew that he needed to keep control over himself. He knew that Malcolm wasn't right in the head, between Diggle and this letter. He knew that he couldn't push him. For the sake of the ones he loved, he needed to be beyond level headed.

Oliver lifted his hand and finally knocked.

He just hoped that he was ready.

. . .

The door opened and Oliver thought it was a joke at first. He was about to ask what was going on when he noticed a large dark colored rectangular trunk-like piece up against the far back wall. He didn't say anything because he was hoping he was wrong. He walked slowly towards it, taking in more details the closer he got. He could tell that the trunk looked like it was made out of dark metal or wood, he wasn't sure which. There were small holes drilled along the middle. The latch was a rusty looking gold color.

"You have to agree."

Oliver paused and he knew that his suspicion was right. Felicity was in that trunk. His beautiful, smart, Girl Wednesday was in that trunk… He balled up his fists and tried to concentrate on his breathing. "I have to talk to her first," he said ever so slowly.

"Is there really anything to talk about?"

"Please…you can at least give us five minutes…" Oliver requested, his back still to Merlyn.

"I'll be outside," Merlyn told him.

Oliver didn't waste time now; he closed the distance between him and the trunk in a couple of seconds. He knelt down and was unlatching the rusty latch. He flung the top up and back and just stared down. It looked like the trunk was a box within a box. His sweet, darling Felicity was crammed into the inner box and he stood there trying to figure out the best way to pull her out.

"Felicity," he whispered. Tears fell down his cheeks as he stared down at her. She looked so pale, but he wasn't sure if it was because of the contrast from the dark material the trunk was made up of. He reached up and pulled her out, carefully draping her across his lap as he settled on the floor in front of the trunk. Her head was cradled in his shoulder and her body was held tightly against his.

She was so cold.

He then realized that he didn't think she was breathing.

No.

"Felicity!" he yelled and then pressed his ear to her chest. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on finding a heartbeat or a breath sound. His mind was already racing and thoughts of killing Merlyn were tumbling through his head. She was just barely breathing. "Felicity," he said again and ran his hand along her face. She was really freezing.

Too cold.

He needed to warm her up.

Oliver looked back at the trunk and wondered how long she'd been in there. He wanted to kill Merlyn. Right now. How could he do something so horrible to her? Felicity was the sweetest and probably the truest person in the world. Plus, now he knew that she was his daughter. How could anyone do this to their child? He could have killed her! How long would he have left her in there?

Holding her close, he stood up and moved to the door. He knocked and he found a rather irritated looking Merlyn on the other side. He really didn't have time for this. "She's hypothermic," Oliver said.

"Do you agree?" Merlyn asked too calmly.

Oliver just stared at him for a long moment in shock that was his response. "She's…she's barely breathing and freezing and you're worried about whether or not I'll agree to marry Felicity?"

"She doesn't leave this room unless—"

"Fine!" he said suddenly. "I agree! Now, let me go past with her!"

"She's not leaving this ship!"

"She needs a hospital!" Oliver argued. He was sure he could make it part way through the ship, but he had no idea if he could make it all the way off…and if he did…would he do the same thing to Thea? Put her in that box?

"If she's hypothermic, then warm her up…" Merlyn said as if it were nothing. "I'll take you to her room."

Oliver's mouth dropped open and stayed that way until Merlyn was several feet down the hallway, then he was taking long quick steps after him. He really didn't have the time to argue with him. He hated to admit it, but he wasn't wrong. He needed to get her warm again, but he wouldn't have everything there that they would have at a hospital. He suddenly wondered if Merlyn would let him call Diggle and let him come in with medical items. He knew that one thing that could be done was to run a warm IV drip. Diggle could do that…

Once Merlyn came to a halt and had the door opened, Oliver stopped and looked at him. "My friend…he was a medic, he could—"

"No."

"But she needs—"

"No."

"Malcolm, please!" Oliver begged.

"What's wrong?" the voices asked in unison.

He stepped into the room and was so happy to see both Thea and Tommy, but right now he couldn't hug them or tell them how much they missed them. He immediately started to head for the other door and hoped that it was a bathroom. He had a feeling that putting her into a bath was going to be the best way to heat her up. Or at least he hoped it would work. The door opened and there was just a shower.

"Wait!" Thea called. "What happened?"

Tommy and Thea were right behind him and he was already reaching into the shower and starting it. He set Felicity down on the floor and starting to strip her out of the clothes. As much as he knew that completely stripping her out of the clothing would be the best option, he left her bra and panties in tact.

"You can't," Thea argued. "Felicity can't—"

"She's freezing…" Oliver explained as he removed her damp shirt. "She was in a trunk—" He froze for a moment when the black and blue bruise stood out against her pale skin. He lightly traced along her ribs with his fingers before finally moving on.

"I told you," Tommy said. He was helping Oliver suddenly. "How long has it been?"

"What?"

"Since we went to your Foundry place," Thea filled in.

"Almost three days…"

Tommy hurried faster with helping Oliver to remove Felicity's shoes. "Three days," he repeated.

"She can't go in the shower, Oliver," Thea said and knelt down nearby. "She'll…she'll flip out… You don't understand—"

"She'll die if she doesn't get warmed up," Oliver told his sister as he stood up and started to strip down as well. He figured that stripping down to his boxers would be good enough. His skin against hers would help her too. Skin to skin contact. He cradled her in his arms and took her into the shower.

Thea and Tommy stood outside. It was a little odd, but they both seemed really worried and concerned. Oliver sat in the bottom of the shower with her, keeping her head tilted towards his body and so that the water wouldn't be directly hitting her face. His hands rubbed her skin in order to try to warm her up. Suddenly, Tommy and Thea were in there as well, clothes on and everything. He'd noticed that Tommy had stripped out of his pants and shoes. Thea's shoes were also missing. They were sitting in the bottom of the shower with him, rubbing her skin like he was.

"Did Diggle tell you about what Merlyn did to her?" Thea asked after a few minutes.

"He told me…so much…and I know that Merlyn hurt her, but in all honesty I really stopped listening past the facts that not only you three were alive, but so was Merlyn…" Oliver admitted. "It was…a lot to take in…and I haven't slept for days…"

Tommy seemed worried. "You can't kill him. He's—"

"I know the reason why he took them…" Oliver told his friend. "As much as I hate the fact that he's kept Felicity and Thea for all these months, I have to admit…I'm happy to see you alive…"

Tommy smiled at him. "He's sick… That doesn't excuse anything he's done, especially what he's done to Felicity, but Oliver—"

"He needs help," Oliver finished and nodded. He looked back down to Felicity. She already seemed to be doing better. Her pallor seemed to be pinker than when he'd found her. That was something. "She needs help," he whispered.

"When Merlyn first took us," Thea spoke up. "He hurt her… She was trying to protect me… Merlyn didn't like how she wouldn't tell him things… Things that he wanted to know about you…about the company… So, he tortured her—"

He could tell that it was hard for Thea to explain. Her head bowed down and he saw the tears. Oliver reached out for the first time since he'd arrived in that room and pulled Thea closer. She suddenly started to sob and clung to him.

"He tied her to a chair, covered her head, and poured water over her face," Tommy said slowly. Oliver could tell that it was hard for him to recount as well. "And then he locked her in that same box…for days… I pulled her out that last time," Tommy told him. "She was stronger then…" He paused. "But the water…she can't handle the shower or…or a lot of things…"

Oliver stared down at Felicity, he knew that he'd know if she stared to stir and then he could turn off the water and hope to avoid causing anymore trauma. "The water's starting to cool…" he spoke up. He turned the dial to a hotter setting. "A couple more minutes and then we'll get her out." He kissed Thea's forehead and then looked at her. "Speedy, you should get out first… Pull out towels… Pull out something for Felicity to put on… We need to dry her off and then get her into bed before she gets chilled…"

Thea nodded slowly and hugged him tight really quick before exiting the shower. He watched her go to a cupboard in the bathroom and then go between the two rooms. He could tell how much Thea cared for Felicity and it was odd, but Oliver understood and he…he liked it. It was nice to see that he didn't have to worry about them getting along. They were both so important in his life…

"You know, she's had a hard time… She's tried so hard to protect Thea…to protect both of us… To protect you…" Tommy said quietly.

"She didn't need to protect me," Oliver told him quietly and suddenly felt so guilty. He remembered when Felicity had told Barry Allen his secret in order to save his life and how upset he'd been with her. He wondered if she thought that he'd be that upset if she'd said something to Merlyn. That was so far from the truth. She could have told him anything in order to keep herself safe.

"She loves you," Tommy told him.

"I know," Oliver whispered and looked back down at Felicity. He reached up and turned off the water. He was starting to get lose its temperature and he didn't want Felicity to chill. He gently squeezed the excess water out of her hair and turned when he found Thea standing there with towels.

"I lined her bed with towels," Thea explained. "If you lay her down, I can get her dry… I'll change her into dry clothes, then we can tuck her in with the blankets. I can bring the blow dryer over and dry her hair too."

Once they had Felicity in her bed, Oliver and Tommy left Thea to dry and change Felicity into dry clothes while they retreated to the bathroom to dry off and change too. Tommy had grabbed them both a pair of boxers along with another shirt for him. They both dried off and then changed into the dry clothes in the bathroom before venturing out.

Thea had already removed the towels, except to wrap Felicity's hair up in, from the bed. She had her tucked in and was already setting up the blow dryer. Sometimes it still surprised him that Thea wasn't the bratty little sister that he'd left behind so many years…or the out of control teenager that he'd come home to.

"Does she have socks on?" Oliver asked as they neared the bed.

"No," Thea said and looked confused and then sighed. "I didn't think of that—"

"It's okay," Tommy said quickly and moved to one of the wardrobes. "I've got it."

. . .

It was like they were holding some kind of vigil for her. Oliver had ended up crawling into bed with her. Tommy had insisted he slept, but he'd seemed fairly shocked when he'd crawled into bed with Felicity. He'd been careful of her ribs, but held her close. She really did feel like she was warming up. Thea and Tommy were staying close. If the bed had been larger, he would have suggested that Thea or Tommy lay on the other side of Felicity.

The lights were off, but he was awake. He was certain that he'd only slept for a short time, but it was enough. At least for now. Oliver was watching her in the dark. He could see her face and he could hear her breathing. It was stronger and regular now. He still was certain that she would have been better off if they'd taken her to the hospital or had Diggle come in with medical supplies.

"Ol…ver…" she barely mumbled.

"I'm here," he told her and ran the palms of his hands up and down her arms. "Open your eyes…"

"Come…home…"

"I'm home, Felicity," he whispered and realized that tears were falling down his cheeks. Oliver leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He felt like he'd failed in keeping her safe. He should have found Felicity and Thea sooner… He wasn't sure what that would have meant for Tommy, but he hated seeing Felicity in the state she was in. "I'm here… Just… Open your eyes."

"Oliver?"

This time her voice was a little louder, but still just a whisper. It was stronger, just barely a slur. She was also stirring and Oliver had high hopes that her bright blue eyes would be opening. He didn't know how long she'd been in that box or how long it had been since they'd warmed her up and put her into bed, but he knew that he needed her to be okay.

When her eyes finally opened, they blinked several times and seemed to be trying to focus. Felicity looked confused. He was about to try to be reassuring when Felicity's hands came up and pushed against his chest.

"No…" she said worriedly.

"Felicity?"

Tears started to fill her eyes. "No… You're not—"

"You're okay, Felicity! You're safe!"

There was movement and lights were turned on and Thea and Tommy were trying to assure her that she was sure and that there was nothing to worry about. It didn't ease her worries though.

"You're not supposed to be here!" Felicity told him. Tears were streaming down her face and he was confused. Did she not expect him to come? Did she not expect him to try to rescue her in any way or form he could?

"Why?" he finally questioned.

"Merlyn wants—"

Before Felicity could explain, the door was opened and they all turned towards the door. He watched as Felicity pushed herself back and towards him. Tommy was putting himself in front of Thea and Thea was backing up. Oliver moved from the bed carefully and moved towards where Tommy stood. He was obviously trying to protect Thea and Felicity.

Merlyn appeared and at first, Oliver thought he was there to question him about his intentions or—

And then she walked in.

Oliver just stared and his brain tried to wrap around who had entered the room. It was the last person that he had expected to walk in. Why? What need did Malcolm Merlyn have to drag her in there? Though, she didn't seem to be there against her will…

"So, Moira and I were talking," Merlyn said as he approached them. "I think we have things sorted out…though, she's not so thrilled with everything…"

"Mom?" Thea squeaked out.

"Don't worry, she didn't know about all of this… I just called her up and figured that if we're going to do this… It does involve both of her children and Queen Consolidated…so she might as well be on board with things."

"What does that mean?" Oliver asked.

"It means that I'm not too thrilled with Thea and Felicity returning and Tommy back from the dead…and then you're marrying Felicity…" Moira spoke up. "She's not my first…second…or even third choice for you, Oliver."

"I won't do it," Felicity said.

Oliver turned to her and saw that she was a mess. Her face was red and she was crying. She seemed on the verge of being hysterical. Thea had her arms wrapped around her and suddenly he realized, they'd never talked. She'd been hypothermic and then…he'd just promised it without her. He had had no choice. He hadn't even thought that she wouldn't be okay with it…not after reading the letter. This wasn't a sacrifice for him…

"You will!" Merlyn bellowed.

When he turned, he saw the change in Merlyn and now he knew what Felicity and the others feared. His mother even seemed to jump in surprise. This wasn't good. It wasn't good for any of them. He looked between Merlyn and Felicity. "She just woke up—"

"Oh, I know…"

"You have to admit, Malcolm," Moira spoke up. "The girl doesn't even want to go along with it…"

"Of course not!" Thea shouted. "Marriage is a big step! Normal people date…get engaged…plan things… Not just jump straight to marriage!"

Merlyn seemed to be taking that in.

"Think about the media," Tommy suddenly spoke up. "Wouldn't it look suspicious?"

"It would look better if they had time to know Felicity," Moira spoke up. "Let them have the time to photograph her with Oliver… Let them have the engagement pictures… Make a big fuss about it, so it won't ever be questioned."

"I want to make sure that there will be no backing out, Moira," Merlyn said tightly.

"You have MY word," Oliver spoke up.

"My daughter's already refusing you," he pointed out.

"Give us ten minutes to talk…"

Merlyn seemed appeased with this and left. But he left his mother behind. Oliver really didn't know what to say to her. He turned to Felicity, but found his mother pulling him towards her. He pulled away and moved towards Felicity.

"Oliver, please! Thea! Come here! Let me hug you both!" Moira told them.

"How could you just—" Thea started.

Oliver interrupted. "You're just back to working with him?! I ASKED you MONTHS ago if Merlyn could possibly be alive… You told me NO."

Moira just stared at them. "One day, you'll understand what it means to be a parent, Oliver…"

He turned his attention back to Felicity. He honestly had no idea what he was going to say. "Thea? Could I have a minute?"

He could see that Thea was reluctant and when he looked over Tommy and his mother didn't seem so thrilled either. He knew that there wasn't that much space, but he felt like he needed to at least talk to Felicity. He'd had some time to talk to Tommy and Thea, but not with Felicity. She'd woken up, freaked out, and then his mother and Merlyn had walked in and stirred things up.

Oliver settled on the edge of the bed and tried to ignore the fact that there were three other people there. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Felicity looked up at him. "Why are you apologizing?"

"I told him that I would agree to his terms," Oliver explained. "He wouldn't let me take you out of that box or leave the room with you until I did…and I thought—I thought that I might have lost you…all over again," he went on. Tears welled up in his eyes and his voice broke. "I've been a lot of places over the last three months, Felicity—"

"Please tell me you didn't join the League—"

"No," he told her with a small smile. "But I did realize something…" He reached out and brushed the hair away from her face. "I realized that you were one of the few people that I couldn't live without…that I care for you a lot more than I had ever let myself admit to myself..." He pulled in a big breath. He didn't know how he was going to condense everything he wanted to tell her. There was so much… He needed to tell her so much and he didn't have the time. "I love you," he blurted out and he was suddenly happy. He was the happiest he'd been in months.

"You—wha—Oliver—"

He saw her looking over to where the others must have been standing behind him. Oliver put his hands on either side of her face, so that she was looking right at him. "Felicity Smoak. I don't care if Malcolm Merlyn is your biological father… What happened…I wish I could go back and make it so you didn't have to experience any of it. I wish I didn't fail you. I wish I could have kept you and Thea safe. I can't. But I can promise you something. You and I will work through whatever has happened together, Felicity. I love you. This agreement Merlyn wants to push, it's not ruining my life…"

"You don't know that—"

"I LOVE YOU," he said slowly and with emphasis. He could see the tears falling now and she closed her eyes tightly. "Whatever it takes… I don't care what he says… We take things as slowly as we want… I would agree to anything in order to take you home."

"Take Thea home," she spoke up.

Oliver just stared at her. He remembered the words that she'd written down. The words that had shocked him to the core to read. And now, here he was…face to face with her…and knowing that she believed it to be true.

That he deserved better.

Pulling out the letter from his pocket, he unfolded the pages and held them out to her. He felt like he needed to go through it with her, line by line, to go over exactly what she'd said. "You're STRONG, Felicity…and you're MORE than I deserve… You know that I'd give my life for you… I didn't just come here because of Thea or Tommy…" He took a breath. "If it were just you… I would do the same exact thing, Felicity. You know that."

She was staring at him again and he could see that she was thinking about it. He didn't expect her to just be okay with it, but he needed her to know her worth to him. He loved her and Oliver would do anything for her. He needed Felicity to know that.

"Oliver…"

"I will promise you anything—"

"You never promise me," she whispered as she stared at him.

"I will promise you anything," he repeated. He reached up and cupped her cheek and pushed away tears with his thumb. "I know you've been through a lot…in the last three months and today…but we need to tell Merlyn something."

Felicity stared at him in silence for a long time, tears just streaming down her face. He didn't want to push her into this. He didn't want to lose her…not in any way… But he didn't see a better option. He knew…he KNEW that if they managed to fight onto the boat and get to them…that either they'd end up being injured or Merlyn would come back and take them all away from him again. They couldn't keep them all safe all the time.

The door opened and everyone's attention turned to it. Merlyn was standing there and Oliver knew he was going to want an answer. No mater what, he wasn't going to let Merlyn hurt her… He would have to kill him in order to get to Felicity.

"Oliver," she whispered and she was squeezing his hand suddenly.

He turned back to her, giving her his full attention. "Promise me that you'll always tell me the truth… That once we're off of this boat," she kept going on. Her voice broke here and there and her voice was filled with so much emotion and heartbreak. "Promise me that you'll tell me everything… We're going to tell each other everything in our lives that we weren't there for… Everything about Lian Yu… Everything about anything that is to come… That we won't keep secrets."

Oliver realized at that moment that Felicity was the one person that he could really promise that too. His hand was still cupping her cheek and he didn't care that everyone was watching. He leaned in and captured her lips with his. Oliver took his time savoring the kiss and even more so when she kissed him back. "I promise," he whispered against her lips when they finally separated.

It was a promise that he would keep.

. . .

TBC…


	26. Adjusting So Much Adjusting

"This is stupid," Thea complained. "I don't NEED to take anything with me… I have clothes at home." She stopped for a moment and then looked like she was panicking. "My clothes BETTER still be there…"

Felicity smiled as she watched Thea through half blurred vision. Somehow…somewhere…she'd lost a contact lens and she was having problems focusing. She could close one eye here and there and focus on what she needed to though. She was glad that they were leaving, even after everything…if only that it meant that she didn't have to worry about new nightmares that would come when she'd passed out because she just couldn't stay awake any longer. "I think I only need my box from the wardrobe," Felicity said quietly. She was exhausted and her limbs and back and well, everywhere hurt. Once Merlyn and Moira had closed the door everyone had been fussing over her. She was fairly sure that all three of them had expressed the same fact that she shouldn't be moving about around six times each.

"Well, I need pretty much everything because I think all of my things have been given away," Tommy spoke up.

"You could always borrow clothes," Oliver spoke up.

Tommy looked back over at Oliver, who was sitting on the edge of Felicity's bed, he looked surprised. "Really? Could you make us sound like best friend girls anymore?" he teased and they both grinned.

Thea, however, was rolling her eyes. "I deserve so much retail therapy after this…it isn't even funny. We can clean out my closet and donate it because I'm going to be buying a whole new wardrobe."

Felicity really couldn't blame Thea. Plus, it was always nice to have a fresh start with things. She reached up and tapped Oliver, when he turned to her she pointed towards her wardrobe. "Will you get my box from the wardrobe? Please?" she asked quietly. She didn't want it to get left behind in everything. "It's in my duffel…you could just grab the whole bag."

Oliver didn't question her. He got up and did as she asked. He set the bag on the edge of the bed and opened the bag to reveal the box. "Are you sure that's everything?"

"What about your bow?" Tommy spoke up.

She had thought about that. It could be replaced though. "It doesn't matter…" she whispered. Felicity reached out and felt the need to touch the box. "This is about two months of my life…"

"What's inside?" Oliver asked.

Looking up at him, she could see that he was curious. She'd said that she'd written letters and Felicity wondered if he assumed that was what she was bringing. It was. "The letters I wrote to you."

"Will I get to read them?" he asked as he pulled the other letter out of his box. He opened the box and tucked the specially folded one he'd already read inside before closing it up again. He hadn't shifted through them or tried to read one, he'd just respected that this was her choice. Felicity appreciated that beyond measure.

"Maybe," she responded.

He just smiled at her and zipped the bag up. "You know if you want a bow—"

"I know."

"I can ask him for it, Felicity," Tommy offered. "He probably hasn't even thought about it."

"That's because he's 'Looney Toons'," Thea commented.

"No, it's okay," Felicity told Tommy as she ignored Thea. She knew that her little sister was going to be so much better once they finally got to leave, or at least she hoped so.

"Felic—" Tommy started to argue.

"It really is okay…" she said gently. "Thank you though." Felicity felt like she was going to pass out. She didn't want to sleep and had been fighting it ever since she'd woken up in Oliver's arms. Even more so, she was afraid to fall asleep and wake up from a nightmare. She didn't want Oliver to hear her screaming or for her to panic him.

The door opened and none of them even questioned it. Whoever was bringing something, grabbed it and they headed for the door. Oliver was carrying Felicity, he'd insisted on doing so. She was even wrapped in a blanket to ensure that her body temperature didn't drop. Felicity knew that he was concerned and wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to take her to a hospital, but she didn't want to go. She just wanted to be with them…with the people she loved.

"Is it raining?" she heard Tommy ask.

"It was humid," she heard Moira respond.

Felicity knew the exact reason why her brother was asking and she was so touched. She really couldn't ask for any two better siblings. As much as she'd hated the last three months, she had to admit…if they'd just found out about each other another way…they might not have bonded as they had. She looked up at Oliver and could see that he was watching her and then would look ahead for a moment and then watch her again.

"You'll see my car, Thea," Moira said.

"Wait. Are we all going together?" Thea asked and Felicity could hear slight panic in her voice.

"Well, I had assumed that you and Oliver would be coming home," Moira responded.

"What about Tommy? And Felicity?"

"Tommy is of course always welcome—"

"I'm not going if Felicity can't come," Thea argued before Moira could finish her sentence. Felicity knew that this wasn't going to get them anywhere, but at the same time…she really didn't want to be separated from Tommy and Thea (or Oliver) tonight.

"Diggle, Sara, and Roy should be waiting outside too," Oliver spoke up.

Diggle? Sara? Roy? They were all waiting for them? She felt so much safer even though she knew that Merlyn had an army on board. They were her home though, her family. Things suddenly felt a little better and she found herself relaxing, which made her only want to sleep more.

"Well, I hadn't expected to be putting everyone up at the—" Moira started to go off.

"We won't take up that much room, Mrs. Queen," Tommy spoke up quietly, but evenly as they continued down the hallway. "And we can all figure out new arrangements in the morning…"

"We have the space," Moira replied.

"Thea, Felicity, and I have become fairly accustom to sharing a room even if it involves us sleeping on the floor or up against a wall."

Felicity could hear Moira gasp in shock. "That certainly won't be necessary!"

"So, we can all stay together tonight?" Thea asked.

"Tonight only."

Felicity supposed that at least they wouldn't have to fight that out in ten minutes when they were all at the vehicles. It was comforting to know that they'd all be together…even if it were just for tonight. She didn't even know if she still had her apartment. For all she knew, all of her things had been donated…given away.

"Moira," Merlyn spoke up. "A moment please. Let the children go on ahead."

She watched Oliver's face. He'd stopped, but it had only been a moment as he looked back towards where Merlyn and now she supposed Moira were. He looked back down at her and she tried to press forward a smile. Tommy and Thea were ahead of them and it seemed like Oliver was mainly concerned about getting them, and probably mostly her, out of there. She felt fairly useless as she wasn't even allowed to walk at the moment, though she really didn't think she had the strength to do so anyways…

"Oliver, your mother—" Felicity said after a moment when she noticed that he kept looking back.

"I'm going to get you out to Diggle. Make sure all three of you are safe," Oliver told her. She could tell that he was worried about his mother. Felicity wasn't sure if he was worried about Moira's safety or what she and Merlyn might be discussing without them to hear it or argue about.

"Tommy could—"

"No," he said firmly and she could see that he was determined.

A few minutes more and they were outside and they seemed to be moving faster. It was dark and it wasn't raining, which Felicity was thankful for. She loosened the hold she hadn't realized she had on Oliver's coat. They were going home…well, at least off the boat and to Starling City… They were together, that was what really mattered.

"Thea!"

"What happened?"

"Is she okay?"

She knew all the voices even though it took another couple of moments before she was finally able to see their faces. Roy. Sara. Diggle. Suddenly, she was being handed over to Diggle. And Oliver was leaving— Tears formed in her eyes and began to fall. She knew he wasn't really leaving her, but she hadn't been ready to be let go yet.

"She was hypothermic," Tommy started to complain in Oliver's place. "She had been locked up in a box for three days. We warmed her up, but we didn't want to chance it… She should have been taken to a hospital—"

"I'm fine," Felicity lied.

"That's not true," Sara spoke up. "But we're going to get you better."

She was being moved into Diggle's car, but all she wanted was Oliver. He was strapping her into the seat behind the driver's seat, which was fine because she could see better. She wanted to know he was safe and she found herself reaching out, but no one taking her hand. "Tommy! Thea!" Felicity found herself calling out as Diggle closed the door. The palm of her hand pressed against the window and tears continued to fall.

"Hey…" Diggle said gently as he opened the door again. "You're safe…"

"Tommy and Thea…" she tried to whisper, but it bubbled up with a sob. She was a mess. She already knew that, but she hated to be that way in front of so many people. But she couldn't see Tommy or Thea…or Oliver…and she felt panic even though she knew it was stupid.

"Right here," Tommy said, appearing a moment later. He looked to the right and then back to Felicity. "We were just discussing that there's too many for this car… Some are going to have to drive with Mrs. Queen."

"I nominate Oliver," Diggle said.

"Thea nominated him too," Tommy said as he crouched down. "I think I might go with him… Roy looks too much like he'd strangle her… And I don't think Thea WANTS to get into the car with her mother…"

"But we're all going together," Felicity said slowly as she stared at Tommy. She watched him and tried to see if things were really going to be okay.

"We're all going to the mansion," Tommy confirmed. He looked to the right again. "There's Mrs. Queen and Oliver… I should go…" He looked up at Diggle and Sara. "Thea and Roy can ride with you, right?"

Diggle nodded. "Sure. Might be a little cramped…"

The other side of the car was being opened and Roy and Thea were sliding in next to her. Felicity suddenly felt better, but also felt a little panicked. She didn't like Oliver and Tommy being in the other car. She didn't like them being separated, but she knew that she was going to have to get used to it. She was relieved that Thea was sitting right next to her though.

"It's going to be weird sleeping in an actual civilization bed," Thea said.

"Civilization bed?" Roy asked.

"It's a real bed," Sara responded and Diggle was chuckling. "A REAL real bed. One that isn't like a cot-type bed. Something that's soft and makes you want to fall asleep the moment you lay on it."

Roy seemed confused. "I don't think I've ever had one of those."

Diggle chuckled more. "Well, you'll have a new experience tonight."

"I don't care about beds… I'm just excited that Thea's back…and of course Felicity and Tommy."

Sara laughed now. "Until Felicity gets back to the Foundry and really sees the damage you did."

Normally, Felicity would be wondering what the heck they'd been up to while they were gone, but right now she just didn't care. She leaned against Thea and let her head fall to her sister's shoulder. She closed her eyes and tried not to worry too much about Tommy and Oliver. They'd be okay, she tried to convince herself, and they'd be together soon.

. . .

"You don't have to stay," Felicity told them.

Since arriving at Queen Mansion, Felicity had felt like she was going to throw up. At first, she thought that maybe it was a side effect of the hypothermia…but then Diggle had been worried that it was just because she hadn't eaten in three days and her stomach was just upset after she'd eaten there. So, Diggle and Sara were camping in the room she'd been assigned. There was only one rather large bed, but Diggle and Sara had made themselves at home on a pair of overstuffed chairs. They'd seemed quite happy, but it didn't ease Felicity at all.

She'd been separated from not only Thea and Tommy, but Oliver as well.

"When's the last time we all have a sleepover?" Sara asked.

Felicity raised her eyebrows and looked in Sara's direction. "Uh, never…"

"So, see! We're overdue!"

"Would a present cheer you up?" Diggle spoke up.

"Depends on the present," Felicity said as she stared up at the ceiling. This was going to be a long night. She had no plans to sleep even though she was finding it hard to keep her eyes open. It was also angering the remaining contact lens in her eye. It kept feeling like it was going to pop out every time her eyelids would start to slip closed.

Diggle came into her view; he was sitting on the bed and holding up something. Felicity shut the eye without the lens and smiled brightly at what Diggle was holding. "You're the best! Have I told you how wonderful you are today?" she asked as she reached out to snatch the offered present and then wrapped her arms around him. It was just another thing to remind her that she was home and that things were about to get back to normal.

His arms wrapped around her and his lips pressed into her hair. "I know you think you have to stay strong, Felicity," he whispered. "But you don't have to be…and if you feel like you have to be strong then know that you're not alone… We're all here for you… We're going to protect you…"

"You can protect me from Merlyn, but who's going to protect all of us for Mrs. Queen?" Felicity mumbled as she clung to him.

He kissed into her hair again. "Oliver."

She smiled and then finally pulled away. Felicity turned slightly away from him and carefully extracted the contact. She slipped on her glasses and just allowed her eyes to adjust for a moment. Her smile widened. She almost felt like her old self… Felicity moved just enough to let the contact fall from her finger to the small wastebasket at the bedside. Turning back to Diggle, she smiled a bit more. She was practically beaming. It had been so long since she'd had her glasses on…

"There she is," he whispered.

"What?"

"Felicity Smoak," he responded.

It seemed silly that her glasses should make her feel so normal and so alive all at the same time. She looked downward and pushed a few strands behind her ear. Felicity knew that no matter what that everything was actually changing… There would be no more normal…

"You should sleep," Diggle said gently.

Felicity shook her head and then looked up at him. "I try not to sleep."

"You HAVE to sleep."

"I could get you some tea," Sara offered from behind.

Felicity just shook her head further. "I don't want to dream about any of it—"

"Felicity, you need to heal…which isn't going to happen if you're not resting," Diggle told her as he ran a hand to smooth her hair. He looked concerned, full of it, and it made Felicity feel a little guilty.

"John, why don't you go and get us all some tea?" Sara suggested gently. Felicity noticed the hand that Sara rested on Diggle's arm. She looked between them and noticed the looks they exchanged before Diggle finally agreed.

"Something soothing," he said. It didn't take him long to leave the room and Felicity almost felt bad for feeling relieved.

Felicity looked back to Sara, who was now sitting on the bed. "You and Digg—"

Sara smiled. "Yeah…well, a lot happened while you were gone."

It was then that she realized that she'd never brought up Sara when Oliver had come to the boat. She'd been so worried about it before and then— There was also the fact that she had been pretty out of it at the time… She just hadn't questioned it, not after what Oliver had said to her…and she'd been so relieved to have Oliver there…

"Are you happy?" Felicity found herself asking.

"Now that you and Thea are home…and Oliver's back," Sara told her. "Yes. It was harder before… It's hard to be happy when the people you care about are missing…or presumed dead…"

Felicity nodded.

"What's wrong?"

"I just—"

"Is this about what Tommy said? He said that Merlyn was making you all do something," Sara said. "Tommy has to run Merlyn Global, Thea has to run Verdant, and you have to get Queen Consolidated back…and—"

She nodded again. "And marry Oliver…"

"You know that Oliver would do ANYTHING for you."

"I don't want to ruin his life, you know," Felicity said quietly and felt a little awkward. For some reason, though, it was easier talking to Sara than Diggle. She didn't think she could admit this to him.

"Do YOU love him?"

Her eyes lifted until they were staring into hers. "Yes."

"Then why are you worrying?"

"Oliver—"

"I haven't been around this team very long, but…I know Oliver… I've seen how he looks at you…and how he talks about you… You're special to him," Sara said. "That's probably why he's waited so long to even really consider being in a relationship with you…"

"He's only doing it because they're forcing—"

"He had a choice."

Felicity stared at Sara. "I want him to be happy."

"He might not look happy," Sara told her. "But believe me, he's happy… He's gotten you, Thea, and Tommy all back… The only way he'd be happier would be if his father were to come back from the dead too."

She was about to say something else, but Diggle reappeared and he wasn't alone. Felicity hadn't expected to see him until the morning. She knew that Moira was trying to keep her separated from Thea, Tommy, and Oliver. That had been clear the moment they walked through the door.

"Look who I found creeping around," Diggle said.

"I wouldn't exactly say creeping," Oliver said as he made a beeline for the bed. He crawled up onto the bed and sat with her. "I was…"

"Being stealthy?" Felicity asked.

"Exactly."

Diggle handed her tea and then he and Sara retreated back to their chairs with their own teas in hand. They seemed like they were getting comfortable again and Felicity suddenly felt really guilty that she was the only one in that room that currently was in a bed. "I'm fine," Felicity said. "You guys could go home…sleep…"

"Back to the Foundry?" Diggle asked.

"What happened to your apartment?" Oliver asked as he turned his attention to Diggle.

"I still have it, just haven't been there for about two weeks…"

"Even more reason to go home," Felicity said. She took the time to sip her tea. She really didn't want much of it and ended up setting it on the nightstand nearby.

"You should be in a hospital right now," Diggle reminded her. "I'm the closest person in the house to a doctor… I'm not going to leave…just in case…"

It was then that Felicity realized that Oliver was scooting fairly close to her. She knew that he was supposed to be in his bedroom upstairs, but she wasn't going to complain. She just hoped that Moira did come looking for him. "It's weird being here," she admitted in a whisper.

Oliver put his arm around her and pulled her closer. "Right now, it's only for tonight," he told her as he looked down at her. She wasn't going to complain about how close they were or how good it felt to have his arm around her. "I'm afraid that your apartment isn't yours anymore though," he said quietly.

"I was afraid of that," Felicity whispered and looked down. It was hard to come back and have everything that was 'hers' taken away. She understood though, they thought she was dead, so it made sense that her apartment couldn't wait longer. "I guess we're all living in the Foundry then…"

"Your things are all there."

She looked up at him in surprise. "What?"

"Walter and I packed up your apartment," Oliver said slowly. "I couldn't stand to give away any of your things. As much as I wanted to hold on to hope that you really were out there…I knew that I needed to at least take some steps… So, it's all being stored in the Foundry."

"I honestly don't know if that's sweet…or creepy," Felicity admitted.

Oliver laughed lightly. "All that matters to me right now is that you're here and you're safe… I think I can work down from creepy with time…"

Felicity beamed at him and blinked rapidly, trying to stay awake. It wasn't her fault, she was really fighting sleep, but Oliver…he was so relaxing and so warm. It was like a dream to just have his arm around her. She leaned against him, letting her head fall against his shoulder. This was the man that she missed so dearly…and she still wasn't sure it was real.

"Hey, you can sleep," he whispered. He held her tighter.

She cringed for a moment, but was okay. Her ribs were bruised, not broken. She'd survive Oliver holding her. "I can't," she whispered back.

"You need to."

"You don't understand—"

"Maybe I do," he responded and she was looking up into his eyes.

Maybe he did.

"But I'm here…" he told her. "And I'm not leaving you… I'll be here if you wake up in the middle of the night… I'll be here when you wake up in the morning… I'll be with you through every step of everything that has yet to happen… I'm not leaving you… For as long as you'll have me."

It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever heard.

"I'm used to…I'm used to being close to Tommy and Thea, which sounds really weird," she rambled. "I know it was only a couple of months, but I guess…I guess we made up for lost time."

"Maybe I can work until they wander down here—"

"They're going to come down here?"

Oliver shrugged. "I came down here, didn't I? And you said that you're used to being close to them, so I expect that they're just as accustom…"

For some reason, it was comforting. It was then that she'd suddenly realized how different he looked. It wasn't so drastic and she'd just been so happy to see him that it really hadn't affected how happy she was to be 'home'. His hair was longer and his facial hair had grown out. He looked like he'd probably not trimmed his hair or facial hair since she and Thea had been taken. It was still her Oliver though.

She laid her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. She was about to give herself permission to sleep when she heard the door open. Felicity's eyes shot open and she looked over to see that Tommy, Thea, and Roy were all sneaking into her room. She smiled immediately at their presence.

"We should have brought sleeping bags," Diggle spoke up.

Thea looked so happy and hurried to the bed before climbing in next to her. She threw her arms around Felicity and hugged her. "I missed you," Thea whispered.

Felicity hugged Thea back, which sadly meant that she had to move her head off of Oliver's shoulder. Hugging Thea, though, was a different kind of comfort. "I missed you."

"I told Roy that we had to have a sleepover down here," Thea explained as she pulled back. Roy was keeping his distance and seemed to not really know what to do. It wasn't like there were many spaces to sit or sleep on in that room. Most of them were occupied already. "And Tommy was being creepy in the hall…"

Felicity looked between Tommy and Oliver. "I see that creepy in the hall is a theme tonight with you two," she teased and then let out a yawn.

"For good reason," Tommy responded. He approached the bed. "You should go to sleep," he told Felicity as he reached out and ran his hand down Felicity's hair before doing the same to Thea. "I think we all need sleep."

"He's right," Oliver spoke up. "I could get—"

"I'm good on the floor," Tommy said and was sitting up against Thea's side of the bed before anything else could be said. She and Tommy had spent many nights leaning up against the wall in her hut.

"Roy?" he spoke up.

"I'll get another chair," Diggle spoke up.

Oliver was moving now and Felicity looked up at him, her hand catching his. She didn't want him to go. "I'm not leaving you," he reminded. "I'd never leave you." Like Tommy, Oliver settled up against the bed on her side. Felicity stared down at him for a moment. It was nice having everyone so close.

Diggle returned a moment later and moved the chair for Roy towards the bed, so he wasn't too far from Thea. Felicity was sure that Roy was probably used to sleeping on the floor too, but it was good that he wasn't so uncomfortable. It would probably also make Thea feel a bit better.

"I'm going to turn off the light," Diggle announced. "Last chance to bail on this sleepover."

No one said anything.

The light went off and both Thea and Felicity moved down in the bed and made themselves more comfortable. It was especially comforting to know that everyone was so close. The bed was so much bigger than they were used to and in all honesty, they could have fit one to two more people in it. It was big enough that she could be close to Thea, but that they weren't touching.

"Is this the part where we say goodnight John Bob?" Sara spoke up.

There was laughter and Felicity smiled brightly in the dark. She closed her eyes and reached out for Oliver. He held her hand and eventually…she fell asleep.

. . .

Felicity had tried to convince…well, everyone…that she didn't need to eat breakfast. That hadn't gone over too well. She was fairly sure that if Diggle hadn't have spoken up first that she would have received a similar lecture from every person in that room…well, not Roy. She was fairly sure that Roy wouldn't have really cared if she ate breakfast or not. At least not until Thea glared at him and forced him to agree with her.

So, now…here they were sitting at the Queen family table. She was fairly sure that this was the most awkward breakfast that she'd ever been to…and she'd been to breakfast with Malcolm Merlyn. Felicity was certain that the only way to make it more awkward were if Merlyn were to walk in and sit towards the head of the table with Moira and act way too nice to each other.

"Don't think that your little sleepover went unnoticed," Moira spoke up before taking a sip of her coffee.

They were all quiet.

"I hope that you all worked it out of your system," she continued a minute later. "It will not be happening again…"

"Let's be honest, Mom, you can't really stop us," Thea told her.

"I can and I will," Moira responded coolly. "The faster the three of you get over whatever Stockholm Syndrome you have, the sooner we can get down to work."

"What?" Thea exploded.

"Do you even know what Stockholm Syndrome is, Mrs. Queen?" Tommy questioned.

"I do," she responded.

"Then you would know that it has nothing to do with three siblings having a bond," Tommy explained.

Moira seemed irked by his speaking. "Half siblings," she corrected. "And we are not to speak of that ever again…" She sipped her coffee again. "What we need to do is to get ahead of the press in all of this. The stories have already all been released… The press is going to want to see all of you… We'll be doing that later today, towards the evening."

"If you really want us to get behind this press thing, then you'd stop trying to micromanage our relationships and friendships," Thea said and got up from the table. She left the room and Roy went trailing after her.

Felicity suddenly felt Moira Queen's eyes on her. She was suddenly jealous of Sara and Diggle who had been lucky enough to duck out on the breakfast. She was farthest away from the Queen family matriarch, but she might as well have been sitting right next to her.

"I think that we all need some time to…settle…and process," Oliver spoke up. His tone was calm and collected and Felicity could see that he was really trying to remain that way. His hand reached under the table and took hers and squeezed it gently. "It's been a lot and they haven't even been home twenty-four hours—"

"That's the point!" Moira told him. "The press WANTS to see them. They want PROOF that Tommy, Thea, and Felicity are all alive… This is our chance to show the world that they're alive and that we're going to stand united. It's also a good chance for you and Felicity to be seen in public as a couple…even if I still don't approve."

The face that Oliver made was making her nervous. But he'd turned his face away from his mother while he'd made it and then collected himself. He turned back towards his mother. "This isn't about you, though," Oliver said evenly. "And if you disapprove of Felicity, the press is going to see that…which is going to bring more light onto this family… I really don't think we need that right now. It's time you get used to Felicity being apart of my life…and that you start to at least…be civil towards her."

"You're right."

Had she just heard that right?

Felicity blinked and tried to process what Moira Queen had just said. She was fairly sure that she was hallucinating. Diggle and Sara had stayed the whole night to make sure that she was okay…and now she was obviously suffering from post-hypothermia. Was hallucination a side affect? It had to be.

"I am?" Oliver asked.

"You are," Moira said quietly. "If Felicity is going to be my future daughter-in-law then it's about time I start accepting it. After all, you could do worse."

Not really a compliment.

"But as I sit here thinking about it, who else are you going to marry? Who else are you going to be able to be your complete self with? You can't live the life of lies like I have, Oliver," Moira said. "I know that."

Silence.

"So, you just want us to go and show our faces?" Felicity asked quietly after the silence was practically unbearable.

"Malcolm has informed me that he's already paid off staff at the hospital, plus the press to spin what he's informed them," Moira explained. "We'll be going all together. Walter has already called me this morning and has insisted on being apart of the press release… He's going to do all of the talking…"

"Have you told him the truth in all of this?" Oliver asked.

"Of course not," Moira responded evenly.

"But he's willing to speak to the press?" Tommy spoke up suddenly.

"He's just happy that you're all back," Moira explained. "Even if Thea isn't his, he still thinks of her as his daughter… And of course he thinks very highly of Felicity. As for Tommy, we were all close because of business with Malcolm. He doesn't think any of you should be forced to answer questions or speak because of course…being held for so long by a kidnapper is quite an ordeal… He's just going to voice how happy and blessed we are to have you all home." She was quiet for a moment. "But that's no reason to look like we just pulled you off that boat…or off whatever mountain you've been hiding on, Oliver."

Silence.

"So, I'm going to make appointments for all of you," Moira spoke up. "Oliver, you contact Sara and your Mr. Diggle. I want everyone looking polished. Thea, Felicity, and Sara can all go to the spa and salon while you, Tommy, Roy, and Mr. Diggle go to the barber or wherever you go to look less like you were living in the wilderness. And then I want you all to go out and get some new clothes. And I mean ALL of you," she said and directed her look towards Oliver. "I expect you to make sure this happens."

"Thea won't be so easy to convince," Oliver said.

"I'll convince her," Felicity spoke up without really thinking about it. She saw the pleased look Moira was giving her. She didn't want her to think that Felicity would do anything she said; the truth was that she knew that it would make Thea feel better. They'd both talked about missing getting their hair and nails done and how it just wasn't the same on the island they'd been on. Pampering would do them both some good.

"I want you to remember, Felicity," Moira spoke. "You and Thea have requested that the world not know that Malcolm is your father, which I respect and support. I just want to remind you that the two of you should act accordingly in public."

"They were held together for three months, Mrs. Queen," Tommy spoke up. "I think that the press would understand them being closer."

"That's true," Moira conceded. "Just…please, use discretion."

Felicity just nodded. She squeezed Oliver's hand and looked his way. This was going to be hard, but at least they would all be together. "Why don't I try to go convince Thea to come down? If we're going to be in front of the press later today, then she and I should be meeting with Sara soon." She got to her feet and headed past Moira, who reached out and touched her arm. Felicity froze and looked over at her.

"Thank you, Felicity."

"Sure," she responded quietly.

"Malcolm sent something that he said he forgot to give to you," Moira said as she got up. She led Felicity towards the other room and pulled out Felicity's bow and quiver that she had apparently stashed there. "I expect you to put this somewhere appropriate… I'm sure Oliver can help you with that," she said as she looked towards her son.

Felicity looked between Oliver and Moira as she took the offered items. She was suddenly worried and realized that she'd told Thea and Tommy about Oliver being the Arrow, but she didn't think that Moira knew. "I'll go put this in my room right now—" she said as she started to head out of the room.

"Oh, and Felicity?"

She stopped and turned back towards Moira. Felicity was thankful that at least Tommy and Oliver were still in the room. "Yes, Mrs. Queen?"

"Malcolm insists that you stay with us here in the house," Moira said. "Which I'm sure will also give us some time to get to know each other… I'll be making sure that you're given a proper room upstairs." She paused for a moment. "I think I know the perfect room near Oliver AND Thea… Would that be comfortable for you or would you rather share with Oliver?"

"I—" Felicity mumbled as she looked between Oliver and Moira again. "I—"

"It's okay," Moira said. "You and Oliver have time to think about it… We can talk about it more tomorrow." She looked to Tommy now. "And of course, you're more than welcome to stay with us longer… Malcolm did want you to move back into the Merlyn Mansion."

"I'm going to go," Felicity said and then hurried out of the room. She just needed space. She had her bow in hand and the quiver was slung over her shoulder. She made a beeline for 'her room' to put her things away. She slipped both items under her bed thinking that that would be the safest place for them. She sighed and got up to her feet.

This was going to be a long day. She hated that it seemed like they were still under Malcolm Merlyn's thumb, but at least they were home… So, there was that. She headed out of 'her room' and through the house looking for Thea and Roy. It didn't take long to convince her that they really deserved the pampering and it had nothing to do with what her mother wanted, even though it was what Moira wanted.

When they arrived back at the dining room, they found Walter there with flowers. "Walter!" Thea exclaimed and moved to hug him.

"There are my two girls!" Walter said in his cheery British voice. He hugged Thea and handed her a bouquet of flowers. "For you." He kissed the top of her head. "You have no idea how worried we were about you…" He looked towards Felicity. "For BOTH of you…" He handed her the other bouquet. "I'm so very glad to see you safe," Walter went on before hugging Felicity.

She loved Walter Steele. He wasn't a perfect person, but Felicity felt like he always saw the good in people, like she did. He was a kind person and he really didn't like to be involved in shady operations, which made his previous marriage with Moira Queen so odd to her.

"It's so good to see you too," Felicity told him.

"Moira said that all of you children were just about to leave," Walter said. "I know it must be a lot…but the press conference will help keep the media from feeling the need to follow all of you all over. They can take their pictures and get it done with."

Felicity just nodded. "That would be nice to just get it over with."

"It sounds easy," Thea interrupted. "But it's not nearly as easy as it sounds."

Walter didn't seem amused with Thea's outlook on it. "I promise," Walter said as he reached out to touch Felicity's arm and then another to touch Thea's. "No matter how difficult it is. You two won't be alone…and neither will you, Mr. Merlyn."

"Tommy," he spoke up. "PLEASE call me Tommy."

Walter smiled and nodded slightly. "Tommy. The three of you are going to be among family and friends."

"Only slightly comforting," Thea said as she looked towards Moira.

Felicity knew that Walter didn't know everything that was going on, so she felt the need to intervene before Thea said too much or seemed too annoyed at her mother in front of Walter. She smiled at Walter and then moved to grab Thea's arm. "We better get going…we have to pick up Sara."

"You have credit cards and everything you need?" Walter questioned as Felicity had Thea halfway out of the room.

Thea stopped them. "Actually, no." Felicity noticed how Thea seemed to brighten up immediately when Walter held up a credit card. "If they have any problems, you have them call me."

"Walter, that's really not necessary—" Moira started to argue.

"I insist on paying for whatever they desire today," Walter insisted and Thea swiped the card.

"Thank you!" Thea kissed Walter's cheek before dashing out of the room, grabbing Felicity as she went.

This was certainly not what she was used to, but Walter was extremely kind and thoughtful… She would make sure to thank him later. At least pampering and shopping would cheer up Thea, or at least she hoped so. Felicity hadn't missed the fact that Roy hadn't seemed too excited to have been left behind. He would survive though. She was certain of that.

At least her roots wouldn't be showing for the press conference…

. . .

TBC…


	27. Moving Forward

"You all did wonderfully," Walter praised as they got into the limo that they'd all arrived in.

"Hopefully they all believed it," Thea grumped.

Felicity was seated between Oliver and Tommy and they were both holding her hands. Thea and Roy were across from them while Moira and Walter were sitting together. Sara and Diggle were up front. It felt so odd to her, but at least she wasn't the one sitting next to Moira.

"Believed what?" Walter asked.

"That we're really the happy family—"

"Thea," Tommy scolded lightly.

"What? He should know!" Thea went on.

Felicity had hoped that since they were home, that Thea would calm down a bit, but everyone coped differently. It probably didn't help that they were under the same roof as her mother. Moira really wasn't making things easier. She moved across and half sat next to Thea and hugged her. "Now's not the time," she whispered and Thea clung to her.

"I guess dinner out is out of the question then," Walter said quietly.

"You should go out," Oliver spoke up. "Take mom out… I think the rest of us just need a quiet night in…"

"It's been a while since we've had a night where we didn't feel caged in in some way," Tommy explained.

And that was the truth.

They'd been on the boat. They'd been on the island and even on the beach…they'd been prisoners. Then they'd been back on the damned boat. Now they were held in Queen Mansion. When would it end? They all just needed to breathe.

"The more reason to leave the house," Walter insisted. "Moira and I could go out to dinner and then the lot of you should do the same…"

"I don't think so," Moira said.

"No, maybe that's a good idea," Roy said. "I think I have the perfect idea—"

"It's not safe—"

"Diggle will come along," Oliver responded quickly. "We'll be fine."

"See," Walter said and pulled Moira close. "They'll be fine. They're taking precautions…plus, the sooner that they feel acclimated to being back here in Starling, the better… We have a lot of work to do in order to regain control of Queen Consolidated." Moira seemed appeased by this. Walter turned his attention towards Felicity. "And I would appreciate any help that you might supply, Felicity."

"Of course," she responded with a smile.

"Though, of course…when you're ready…"

"I haven't been in front of a computer for months," Felicity said. "I'm sure it's like riding a bike… Though, if it takes me twenty minutes to remember my e-mail login we might have a problem."

Walter laughed. "I have every faith in you."

She liked Walter. Walter needed to be around more.

Felicity gave Thea another squeeze before moved back over between Oliver and Tommy. Oliver's arm wrapped around her and she felt so out of place. Normally, she'd be the one sitting up with Diggle…unless it was just Oliver. But here she was, dressed to look like a Queen and she'd played her part just like everyone else.

They really hadn't done much. Sara and Diggle had stood off to the side, as 'security' and friends. Moira stood with Walter while he spoke and would look back at them 'lovingly' from time to time, her eyes would even fill with tears. Moira Queen was an amazing actress. Thea and Roy had next to her, Tommy stood in the middle, and then she stood there with Oliver. The two of them held hands, but that was the extent of their being a couple in public.

It was also the first time that any of them were hearing that they'd be having essentially a 'back from the dead' party. She had remembered Oliver once saying that it was a family tradition. This was one tradition that she would be okay with skipping. She knew that wasn't going to happen though.

Felicity held onto Oliver and Tommy's hands again as they drove along. She'd seen that Moira was watching them, but she didn't care. Today had been long and exhausting. She hadn't even brought up how upset she'd been at the salon. Moira Queen didn't need to know that. Thea had been right there with her, which was probably the only reason she'd been able to really cope.

"I'm thinking a nap might be in order," Roy said and Felicity smiled in response.

"I wouldn't mind a nap," she responded gratefully.

"You shouldn't be out TOO late," Moira interrupted.

They all turned to her, but Walter was already speaking up. "Moira, they're all adults… I know you're concerned, but if Mr. Diggle is willing to chaperone, then I don't see what the problem will be… Plus, they're smart. They know that they can call us if there's a problem."

"Exactly," Thea spoke up. "If there's a problem, I'll call Walter."

"See."

Felicity was fairly sure that if they all had a choice on whom to call: Moira or Walter, they'd all choose Walter…every time.

. . .

"You know, we should just all look into apartments or townhomes…or whatever they're called," Tommy mused.

Felicity was half asleep listening to them talk. No one wanted to be in that house was what it came down to. The thing was, Merlyn wanted her and Thea to stay there…and she was sure that that meant Oliver too…and probably Roy. She really hated the idea of being separated from Tommy though.

"We could all be neighbors," Oliver seemed amused by this idea.

"At least none of us would be complaining about the other coming home at God knows what time in the morning and making noise," Sara added.

"I'm still okay sleeping at the Foundry," Felicity mumbled.

Oliver's hand was running through her hair again. The only ones not in her bedroom were Roy and Thea. They needed 'them' time, which Felicity understood. She was okay with all the people in her room…it was better than being alone. "I thought you were sleeping, we—"

"I really don't want to actually sleep," she whispered.

He was trying to soothe her, she knew. It didn't matter; she'd crash later on. Last night had been the first time since…she didn't know when, that she'd actually slept through the night without waking up screaming. She didn't know if it was because they were 'home' or if it was just the combination of people in the room…that she knew that she wasn't alone. She still wasn't sure if it was just a one-time thing, though, which was why she wasn't allowing herself to drift off just yet.

"Just sleep for five minutes," Oliver practically pleaded. He sounded like her lack of sleep was actually physically hurting him.

It was hard because Oliver hadn't been there for the last three months. No matter what he read in her letter, he didn't KNOW. She sighed, rolled over, and opened her eyes to look at him. "I can't…"

"No one in this room is going to judge you, Felicity," Tommy spoke up.

He was right, she realized.

Felicity looked around at all of them and she knew that she could TRUST them. She moved off of the bed and then crouched down. Under her bed was not only her bow and quiver, but also the duffel bag that Oliver had brought for her from the boat with her letters in them. She pulled the bag out, opened it, and pulled out the box before handing it over to Oliver. "I wrote you a letter…for most of the days we were on the island… So, at least sixty… I probably sound like a basket case in most of them…or all of them," she explained quietly. She was still holding onto the box, Oliver had his hands on the other side of it. She honestly wasn't sure if she was really ready to give it to him, but maybe it would help things between them… She finally let it go before climbing back into bed next to him.

"I can tell you that she was NOT a basket case," Tommy spoke up. Felicity shook her head at his comment. "She was a hero…"

"I'm no hero," Felicity replied. She scooted close to Oliver and set her head on his shoulder.

"You kept me and Thea safe…that's a hero, Felicity," Tommy told her.

She just let it go. She didn't feel like a hero. "I'll close my eyes for five minutes," Felicity whispered to Oliver. "IF you'll let me use you as a pillow…" She smiled because right now he really didn't have much of a choice because she was already using him as one.

He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer, her eyes slid shut, and he kissed her forehead. She had thought that he'd open the box and start reading, but he didn't. He moved it and pulled her closer until he could wrap both arms around her. Oliver moved in a sway-like motion and eventually she fell asleep knowing that she was safe…

. . .

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes!"

Everyone was laughing. Thea still couldn't believe that they were going bowling and not normal bowling, cosmic bowling. It was nice because the interior of the bowling alley was dark because it was cosmic bowling and since they were all dressed in jeans and shirts that normal people wore…no excessive jewelry or even heels, Roy had insisted, they blended in. So far, no one had recognized them.

"So, we're still missing two," Sara announced. "But I figured that while we wait…and we wait for our bowling session to start that Digg and I would get some food ordered. Any requests?"

Bowling alley food really wasn't the best in the world, Felicity was sure, but she was still excited about it. "Who else is coming?" Felicity asked. Everyone else was already there, but she didn't know if she'd missed a conversation while she'd been napping…and that nap had definitely lasted for more than five minutes.

"Sin and Laurel," Sara said. "Hope that's okay…"

"That's fine," Felicity said. "Why wouldn't that be okay?"

"Just checking," Sara responded. "I know that it's been a lot in less than a full day for you… Didn't want to overwhelm…but Sin's been texting me all day to see Thea and then Laurel…well, I thought it wasn't very kind of any of us to make her see Thea or Tommy until the party…"

"You're right," Thea said. "Would be mighty un-sisterly of you."

Sara smiled in response. "Plus, then if there's tears…it gets it done now…"

"Okay, I ordered food," Diggle said as he joined them.

"I was going to do that," Sara argued.

"But you were chatting…so I did it…"

"What did you order?"

"Practically everything on the menu…"

"As long as there are nachos…"

"Oh, there's going to be nachos," Diggle confirmed.

Sara beamed and wrapped an arm around him. It was so nice seeing people happy. She hadn't ever thought of Diggle and Sara being together before, probably because she'd been with Oliver before…but they were extremely cute and happy together.

"So, the teams are going to be uneven, but I think we can still make it work," Diggle said. "Oliver, Felicity, Thea, and Roy on one team…plus, we'll put in an extra name to even it out. You guys can work out who bowls an extra time each round amongst yourselves," he said as he read off of his paper. "Tommy, Laurel, Sin, Sara, and I on the other team… If that doesn't work for everyone, too bad…"

Felicity beamed. She'd really missed all of them…especially Diggle and Oliver. They really were 'her guys'. They were all sitting around waiting when Sin and Laurel arrived separately. Everyone greeted them, though Sin too a little more time greeting Thea than anyone else…and then Laurel spent quite a lot of time with Tommy and then some time with Thea.

"Are you guys like going to talk about what happened?" Sin asked as they waited for their session of bowling to start. They all had their shoes on, but it wasn't quite time yet. There was food and soda though, so they were all snacking and caffeinating.

"No," Tommy, Thea, and Felicity managed in a close unison.

"Okay," Sin said as she held her hands up. "Okay… I was just going to say, I'm a good listener… I'm also good at talking about punching people in the face, even if that never happens… Hypothetical conversation…"

Felicity LIKED Sin, she was adorable and reminded her of Thea and Sara and Roy combined.

"Good to know," Thea responded after a minute.

"I'm sure that you guys must be happy to be home, but not looking forward to the party tomorrow at the mansion," Laurel spoke up.

"Do we ever look forward to those parties?" Oliver asked and they all laughed.

"It's good, though," Laurel said. "My dad will be there… He's been asking about all three of you… Sara hasn't given him much information…" Felicity didn't miss the exchange between Laurel and Sara.

"Just wanted to respect their privacy," Sara told her.

"Which we really appreciate," Felicity spoke up slowly. She looked over at Laurel. "I'm sure it was just as hard for Oliver when he came back… It's just going to take time for all of us to really realize that this is real… That we're safe here."

Laurel looked a little shocked and was even quieter. "I guess… I didn't think of it in terms of you feeling safe."

"We didn't know if we'd ever come home…and we never knew what they were going to do or WHY they had us," Tommy spoke up quite seriously.

Felicity wished that she were sitting closer to Tommy so that she could hold his hand for just a second to remind him that they were okay and that they were together. That was what mattered. "I think it's time," Felicity said as she motioned towards the two side by side lanes they were supposed to be using.

They all moved to their lanes and their was less talk about what had happened, well really, there was no talk. Felicity suddenly wondered if it would have been easier if Tommy had been on their team, but she knew that Sara and Diggle and probably even Sin would say something if Laurel said anything else to upset Tommy. Felicity was sure that Laurel had to still be processing that Tommy was in fact alive, but sometimes you just really had to let people know that you were there for them and then give them space.

"How are you doing?"

She looked over at Oliver. "Just worried…"

"About Tommy?" Oliver asked and he looked in Tommy's direction before looking back at her. Felicity nodded. "He's okay… It's hard for both of them, but we're going to all be okay…"

"Do you think it would be easier if Laurel knew?"

"No."

He said it so quickly and Felicity thought about asking him how he knew, but Oliver knew Laurel probably the best and almost the longest out of the group. The Lances, Queens, and Tommy had all grown up together. So, Oliver would know.

"I just—"

"You guys haven't even been back a full twenty-four hours yet," Oliver explained. "We're still trying to figure things out…and we're all under a lot of stress just the same… He's okay. I promise."

Felicity looked back in Tommy's direction and he seemed to be laughing at something that Sin was saying, so at least there was that. Laurel was smiling, but Felicity wasn't sure how genuine it was. They'd gotten out to feel free, but Felicity doubted that Laurel really understood that. She hoped that Oliver was right, that things would just take time… Time didn't seem to be coming fast enough though.

"Your turn," Oliver whispered.

. . .

Felicity was fairly sure that the press conference for Queen Consolidated was the hardest to really go through. She wasn't sure whether it was because of the press conference or the fact that Isabel Rochev was in attendance. Really, at this point, it seemed to be a toss up. She knew that Isabel wouldn't do anything in front of the press, plus she had enough back up there. There was Oliver and Sara…and then Diggle was armed. Roy was there too. Plus, QC security teams were everywhere. Felicity was certain that Starling City Police Department had at least a couple of officers lingering in attendance.

They were sitting there behind the podium and it felt a lot like the press conference they'd just been to about them being back from the dead. She swore that there were going to be more pictures of her from the last couple of days than had been taken in her whole life. Isabel was currently up there talking and Felicity just couldn't listen to it. It was all a show: lies and a smile for the audience. She was only doing this because of some deal Malcolm Merlyn made with Ra's al Ghul, which Felicity was sure that they'd be regretting before they knew it.

She tried to sit there and smile like she was supposed to, at least Thea was sitting next to her since Oliver had to be up there next to Isabel for half of it and play the role. She had no idea how hard it had to be for him not to want to break the façade. Felicity was having a hard enough time keeping herself in that chair and instead of going up there and flat out punching Isabel in the face…well, she was certain that Isabel could stop her, but in her head…she was taking her by surprise so it worked.

"I know that I haven't always been the poster child for Starling City or for Queen Consolidated, but I have certainly changed over these last couple of months," Oliver spoke now as Isabel moved away. "I've been so fortunate to not only be given back three people in my life… I'm sure that it sounds clichéd, but I've been given a new lease on life and I'm not going to let the people I care about down or the people of Queen Consolidated…or Starling City, for that matter." Oliver paused. "I cannot tell you how hard it has been for me these past couple of months, but I was so thankful that Isabel was so kind enough to have stepped in…it might have looked like she was pushing me out, but in fact she was saving the company. Keeping Queen Consolidated is really the most important thing. Not only for the company and its board, but for our employees and the world at large. Queen Consolidated may be based here in Starling City, but it reaches out worldwide."

There was clapping and cheering and Felicity had to admit that there was far too much pretending and acting for her liking. They were convincing to the public and really that was the important thing.

The picture taking meant for Queen Consolidated that Felicity could stand off to the side with Roy, Tommy, Diggle, and Sara. Tommy apparently had to be dragged along everywhere to show that he was such a good friend to the Queen family. She was starting to really wonder why she had to be there, but then Walter was calling for her and Roy to be in pictures because they were part of the 'family'.

The press went wide as soon as Oliver had his arm around her. It was hard to concentrate on smiling and looking happy, but it was a little easier with Oliver holding her like that.

"Mr. Queen! How long have you two—"

"No questions right now," Walter responded before the reporter could finish.

That was just what she wanted to see, her name in tabloids. This was going to be interesting. She honestly didn't know if she ended up in them if she'd be able to laugh at them or if she'd take them too seriously.

Once they were allowed to be done with pictures for the press, Felicity immediately started to make a beeline for where the others were waiting on the side of the stage. Felicity didn't even NOTICE Isabel approaching, she just suddenly was hugging her and Felicity was really trying her hardest not to scream that she was going to kill her. Isabel wouldn't do anything, she tried to remind herself, there were too many people around.

"I'm SO glad that you're okay!" Isabel said and Felicity knew it was a lie. "This just means that you and I will have to spend more time together…"

"Isabel!" she heard Oliver say a tad too harshly.

Isabel let her go and Felicity took two steps back and held out her hand for Oliver to take because she knew that he'd be there in a moment. Panic was twisting her insides and she tried to remember that breathing was good.

"That went beautifully, don't you think, Mr. Queen?" Isabel said far too sweetly as she tilted her head to the side.

"I think we're done here though, aren't we?" Oliver said through gritted teeth.

Isabel smiled. "Just so you know, Oliver… Just because this was arranged… Don't think that our other business is done." She looked around for a moment and then her head came back around to glare at the both of them. "Just remember, Slade still has a promise to keep…"

Felicity just stared at her as Isabel walked off to talk to a board member. She was glad that she was gone, but she really didn't like the threat. Great. This was just what they needed. Felicity was REALLY hoping that maybe they'd have like a week before there was a huge threat against them.

"Let's go home," Oliver told her.

Felicity realized after she did it that she actually made a whiney sound. Oliver just seemed amused. "There's no way we can miss the party tonight?"

"It's for you…"

"But mostly Thea and Tommy."

Oliver wrapped an arm around her. "Don't say that like you don't matter." When she didn't say anything, he turned her so that they were facing each other. His hands were on her shoulders. "Felicity… You don't believe that, do you?"

"I—"

"Are you both ready to go?" Moira asked.

Perfect timing.

"Yes," Felicity said quickly as she looked towards Moira. Once his mother was gone from earshot, she heard Oliver sigh. She looked back at him and he was obviously waiting for a response. "Thea is a Queen and Tommy is a Merlyn… I'm just Felicity Smoak."

His hands dropped from her shoulders and took her hands. He squeezed them lightly as he stared into her eyes. Felicity could seriously get lost in those eyes… Of course, she could also get lost admiring his abs…especially on the salmon ladder… She realized that she really could use watching him do the salmon ladder all of the sudden…

"And you mean the WORLD to me," he told her quietly, seriously, and full of emotion.

As Felicity stared at him, she saw the tears welling up in his eyes. She didn't know what to say. She bit her bottom lip for a moment, she hated seeing Oliver so emotional, it made her feel even more emotional. "So," she whispered. "Let's go home," she told him before squeezing his hands back.

Queen Mansion really wasn't home.

Oliver was her home.

She knew that now.

. . .

The knock on the door only made her cry more.

Felicity was dressed in a cream colored floral silky robe that Thea had insisted she needed during their spa day. She was curled up against the bed on the far side. Her hair was down and curled and her make-up…had been done. She was certain that the tears had done that in…

"Felicity?"

"I'm not coming down," she called back as calmly as she could. She realized after a moment that it really hadn't come out very calmly.

"Felicity? Can I come in?"

"I'm fine."

"Please…"

She was quiet for a moment. "It's unlocked," she called back. Felicity lay her head down over her knees. Why did she have to go to the party? The only people she knew that would be there would be the ones that she'd already hugged. She really didn't need to be there…except she knew that Moira wouldn't be pleased with her…

The door was opened and she heard his movements and eventually his shiny black shoes made their way towards her. He sat down next to her and was pulling her into his arms without a question. She cried and tried to be mindful of what he was wearing. She knew that they would both be in trouble if she managed to get make-up all over his suit. She pulled away and turned away from him. Felicity drew in a shaky breath and brought her hands up to her face. Her hands shook and she tried to wipe tears away.

"Your mother is going to kill me," she whispered finally.

"She's not," Oliver said gently.

"Can you just say I'm sick or something?" she asked him as she turned back to him. Felicity wiped her face and knew for sure that she'd have to remove all her make-up and start all over if she had to go back downstairs.

"I would…but this party is for you too," Oliver reminded "Diggle and Sara are already here…"

"I just can't…"

"Do you want me to get Thea or Tommy?" Oliver asked.

She could see that that had to have been hard for him to say. Felicity knew Oliver well enough to hate to admit that he couldn't make things better for her. They were in this weird place, so she was certain that it made it even harder for him. "No…"

"Can you tell me what's wrong?"

What was wrong?

Felicity sighed and stared up at the ceiling, determined to keep more tears from falling. "It's stupid… I'M stupid," she told him and shook her head.

"Felicity," he said seriously. "We both know that's not true."

"You know… We were on that boat…and then on that island…and then back on that boat again…and now we're here… It's all a prison…" Tears fell free again and she closed her eyes. "I feel like I'm never going to be free…"

"Hey…" he whispered. Oliver's hand was on her shoulder. She turned her face towards the shoulder his hand was on. "What happened?" he whispered the question.

"I don't want to wear that dress tonight…" she whispered.

"Dress?" Oliver asked. "Thea said that you two bought a few dresses…"

"But they're not all appropriate…"

"Felicity, you are not a person who I'd worry about having non-appropriate attire," Oliver told her evenly.

"I was told that I had to wear the pink one…I love the pink one, but I didn't want to wear it tonight…" Felicity blabbered on and felt so stupid. It wasn't really a big deal. It was a dress that she'd have to wear for a few hours. It was just that she wanted some control back in her life. Why couldn't she pick her own dress?

"Who told you to wear the pink one?"

Felicity stared at him, reluctant to actually tell him. "Your mother said she had to approve of my dress…"

Oliver sighed and ran his hand over his face. "You wear the dress that YOU want to wear—"

"Oliver, I can't—"

"If I guess the dress…will you wear it?" he asked suddenly.

Felicity stared at him again. "What does that—"

"Then we can both sincerely tell my mother that you're wearing the dress that I liked best," Oliver told her.

Smiling just a little, she nodded. "Okay…" she whispered. "But FYI…it's going to take me a while to fix my face…"

His hand cupped her cheek. He stared at her for a long moment and Felicity could only think about how much mascara had to be running. He leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "Felicity Smoak, you are beautiful… Runny make up or not."

Felicity returned the quick kiss before getting to her feet. She went to the closet and pulled out the three dresses. "Okay, so we have the purple one," she started and held it up. It was really lavender. It was sleeveless and fell to just above the knees. The overall of the dress was made with a bottom solid layer and a top sheer layer. It had a plunge v-neck line and the top half had a layer of material that was a floral crochet pattern. A white ribbon was tied at the waistline. It wasn't anything over the top, it was simple and Felicity liked simple. She knew that this was something that she could wear to a lot of places, including to Queen Consolidated.

"Pretty," Oliver commented.

She held up the next dress. The sleeveless dress was mainly made up of a mint-blue; it had a sweetheart neckline and pleats from the black neat bow band waistband downward. The neckline extended upward with a black floral lace illusion type round neckline. The black lace also accented the knee-length hem of the dress.

"That's the one—"

"You haven't even seen the pink one—"

"You don't want to wear the pink one tonight," Oliver argued.

She pulled out the pink floral lace dress just the same. It was more of a coral pink, completely lace. It was sleeveless like the others and fell to her knees. It had a nude color lining under it, which made the illusion that she was only wearing lace and it was accented with a cream colored ribbon at the waist. She felt like it was only fair for him to see all three dresses. "I like it, I just—"

"The second dress," Oliver told her. "That one is your favorite and mine…"

"How do you know?" Felicity asked.

Oliver smiled at her. "Was I right?"

Felicity pulled the mint-blue dress out of the closet again. She set it aside to wear once she fixed her make-up and pulled out shoes. Thea had insisted that she buy a pair for each dress. "Yes," she said finally. "How did you know?"

"It was how you held it…" he explained. "You ran your hand over that dress as you held it up to your body…and you swayed…just a bit…"

She looked down and could feel the blush rise in her cheeks. Felicity turned away from him and headed towards the bathroom in order to check her make up. After a few minutes of fixing her make up and putting on a pair of earrings that she'd left in there earlier, she walked back to change.

"I should wait outside—"

"No," Felicity said quickly. "You've seen me in less." She removed her robe. She had a slip over her undergarments and she made her way towards the dress. She unzipped it and stepped into it. Felicity pulled it up and slid her arms through the openings. She turned her back to Oliver. "Do you mind zipping me up?"

The dress was zipped up and she didn't know why, but she felt so much more beautiful than she thought she would… Maybe it was because Oliver had said that it was his favorite one… She knew that Moira wasn't going to be happy, but at the same time…she knew that Moira wouldn't throw some kind of control fit at the party itself. She stepped into the black heels that weren't far from where she'd set the dress.

The look on Oliver's face when she turned to him… She knew… She knew that it was his favorite. He'd looked at her similar to this before, she swore… Never like this… This was new… Different… Better…

"You're…breathtaking…" he barely breathed and sounded like he was having a problem catching his breath.

"You don't look so bad yourself…" she told him and beamed.

Why couldn't it just be the two of them tonight?

"We should go," she said a moment later.

"Before we do…" Oliver said as he physically guided her to the bed and motioned for her to sit down.

Felicity complied. She was a little nervous, but she just figured that it would end up being a pep talk about how it would be okay and how they could just avoid his mother the whole night.

"I have something for you," he said as he crouched down in front of her. "And before I give it to you, I want you to know that no one told me to do this…or even helped me with it. I've actually been hiding it from Diggle and Tommy all day." He chuckled lightly. "Those two know me too well… But not as well as you…" He looked right up at her and took both of her hands into his. "I made you a promise on that boat… Do you remember?"

Felicity nodded. "Yes…but if we're going to talk about the Lian Yu or Merlyn before we go down…" she said and it suddenly felt like there was a lump in her throat and she had a hard time speaking. "I don't think I can do it… I'd have to reapply make up a third time…"

He grinned at that. "No, not tonight… But soon… I promised not to keep secrets from you… That we'd tell each other everything and that we wouldn't lie to each other…" He looked down at their hands before looking back up at her. "I know that the arrangement…us…that we're not something that either of us expected," he said gently. "But the more I think of it…the more sense it makes…"

He was suddenly scaring her. She started to pull her hands back, but he held onto them. "Oliver, I—"

"Please, just let me say this…" Oliver pleaded. "It makes sense because you are the one person, besides Diggle…that I know I can completely trust… You knew about Thea and Merlyn before I did… And I knew that that secret would have been safe between the two of us…" He squeezed her hands lightly. "Felicity, you make me a better person… You make me stronger… You make me wiser… You make me think… You make me…you've made me…you've made me realize that I can love again… Really love…"

That really wasn't what she was expecting him to say. Not at all. She really had been expecting pointers on how to survive the party downstairs.

"I was scared before, but I'm not now… I know that I don't have the best qualities of a boyfriend or a fiancée or a husband or—"

"You have fantastic qualities," Felicity interrupted and pulled her hands from his. She leaned forward and cupped both of his cheeks with her hands. Her face was only a few inches from hers and she was really trying not to cry. "You are so many things, Oliver… You have no idea how perfect…and flawed you are in my eyes…but no matter what…you're still perfect… You're Oliver Queen. MY Oliver… You're the Arrow. A hero. I've just been lucky enough to be pulled along for the ride…"

His hands covered hers. "Felicity, I—"

"If this is a proposal…I'm letting you know NOW, it's too soon," Felicity told him half serious and half joking.

He smiled at her. "Not tonight," he whispered. "Let's face it… Merlyn and my mother would have loved that too much, especially to announce to the press…"

Felicity sighed as she thought about it.

"But what I have… It's a symbol of my promise…and my promise that I will always be the man that you think I am…the man that you know I CAN be. I promise to be faithful to you…to always put you first—"

"You're the Arrow, Oliver," she whispered. "You can't always put me first."

"Yes, I can…"

"Oliver—"

"Please…" he whispered.

Felicity tilted her head. "I know you, Oliver, and you don't have to do this…"

"But I want you to know that I don't intend to revert to how I was before… You're different than other women I've been with, Felicity… I just need you to know that."

"Well, the other woman you dated all could have passed for supermodels…so there's that…" she said with a bit of snark.

Oliver shook his head. "None of them," he said dead serious. "Were anywhere as near as you are…"

She didn't think that was true.

"There's more to you than on the outside," Oliver told him. "There's a light…"

"A light?"

"It's a good thing…"

"It sounds confusing…"

Oliver just smiled. He removed his hands from hers and then pulled something from his pocket and held it up. "I picked it because it was unique…like you… Normally, everything is white gold or yellow gold, but not this… I wanted something simple, but beautiful… I also knew that you wouldn't want anything to call attention to you…"

What Oliver held up was a very simple and thin rose gold band.

He took her right hand from his cheek and slid the ring onto her ring finger. Felicity stared down at it, letting her other hand fall from his cheek. It was beautiful and it was so perfect. She knew that he was telling the truth. No one else helped him pick it out and there was no way that anyone else told him what to say. Everything he had said had come from the heart.

"I feel like I should promise you something…" she whispered. "And give you something…"

"You gave me those letters…" he responded. "All want to know if that you'll tell me things… You won't keep them bottled up… You'll remember that you're stronger than everyone else thinks you are… You're stronger, Felicity, than my mother or Merlyn thinks you are…"

"I'm not so sure about all of that, but I promise…at least to try," Felicity told him. It really wasn't so easy as saying she was going to do it. It was going to take her some time to really adjust to everything.

"That's more than enough," he whispered.

There was a knock at the door and they both turned to look towards it. "Who is it?" Felicity called.

"It's Walter, Felicity… Moira wanted me to tell you that we're about to go down…" There was a pause. "Would Oliver happen to be in there?"

"Yes," she called back. "We'll be right out."

"Thank you, Dear."

Felicity turned back to him and stared at him for a long moment. "We're going to be okay…" she whispered.

This was the first time she'd actually, truly believed it.

"I know."

They headed out of the room, Felicity had her arm through Oliver's and they were both smiling as they headed to join the others. She hadn't missed the double take that Moira had given her. Yes, she really was wearing the dress she wanted to wear.

"You look beautiful," Diggle told her.

Felicity smiled. "Thank you, John," she said quietly.

"So, we need to go down as a family," Moira said. "I was thinking that Walter and I would go down and Oliver, you could walk down with your sister…"

"I thought Roy would do it?" Thea questioned.

"I'm walking down with Felicity," Oliver said. It wasn't a question. He was staring right at his mother. "Thea and Roy will walk down together… And then Tommy and—"

"I'll walk down with him," Sara volunteered.

Felicity looked over at Diggle and Sara. Diggle was apart of her and Oliver's family, but she was positive that Moira Queen really didn't understand it. So, he wouldn't be made a big deal of when they finally went down to the party.

"I'll see you downstairs," Diggle said before giving Sara a quick kiss. He touched Felicity's arm briefly and gave her a smile before heading downstairs.

"You know, this really isn't that big of a deal," Oliver said.

"No, it is," Moira insisted.

No one argued with her past that. There really was no point. Moira was going to think that she was right and that was it. So, they all headed down the large set of stairs into the grand overly crowded party. There were pictures being taken, it seemed everywhere.

But by the time they got to the bottom of the stairs and actually into the party, it felt like they were free. She and Oliver immediately started to move away from Moira and Walter. Felicity had a feeling that they were moving towards Diggle…Laurel was also nearby. She was certain that the other Lance sister was there to see Tommy. Things had been awkward before and she knew that Laurel had cared about Tommy before.

"Can we leave yet?" she teased in a whisper and he laughed in response.

Two by two, they were joined by the others and Laurel eventually moved towards them. Sara moved away and over to where Diggle was standing. Felicity watched as they started to walk around the room, she was sure that they were making sure that it was secure. Plus, it was also a good excuse to not have to talk to everyone. Felicity was suddenly jealous.

"Laurel," Oliver greeted as he let her go and went to hug Laurel.

Felicity fought off the tiny twinge of jealousy. It was more that Laurel had this past with pretty much every member of the people she willingly considered family. It really wasn't more than that. She noticed, though, that Tommy seemed uneasy. She wasn't sure if it was because of Laurel or not.

"Ollie…" Laurel echoed.

They separated and they all just stood around in silence for a moment.

"I wasn't going to come," Laurel said. "My dad insisted… Also, he said to tell you that he was sorry that he had to miss this… He really wanted to come, but couldn't find someone to cover his shift…"

"Why weren't you going to come?" Thea questioned. She seemed interested in knowing the answer.

"I'm leaving Starling City…" Laurel announced.

"You are?" Tommy finally spoke up and seemed quite surprised.

Felicity was surprised and she noticed that it had caught Oliver by surprise as well.

"I've been working between Starling City and Central City for months now," Laurel explained. "The DA's office there has offered me a job… It would be a clean start…"

"Do you know anyone there?" Oliver asked.

"Yes," Laurel said. "I actually have someone special there," she responded quietly and suddenly looked a bit awkward. She looked between Tommy and Oliver. "That's actually why I had wanted to see you both so badly when it was announced that Tommy was alive and that Oliver was back… I wanted to know for sure that this was the right decision for me… And it is," she insisted. "I think it's time that we all moved on…" Laurel was suddenly eyeing Oliver and her, which only confused Felicity. "I see that some of us already have…"

"Laurel—" Tommy started to say.

She turned back to him. "Tommy," she said as she reached out and touched his arm. "You know how much I care about you… But you deserve someone better… Someone who can love you completely…"

Felicity wondered if Laurel meant that her love would always feel divided between Oliver and Tommy. There was a reason why you weren't supposed to date people that friends and especially best friends dated…

"We should probably give you two a minute," Thea said as she motioned between Tommy and Laurel. Thea grabbed Roy and left quite quickly.

"We'll be around," Oliver said. "But if you're happy, Laurel…then, good luck…" He took Felicity's arm and they headed in the direction that Diggle and Sara had headed off in before.

He was quiet and she wondered what he was thinking. "Are you having second thoughts?" she asked suddenly.

"About what?"

"Laurel…"

Oliver stopped suddenly and turned towards her. "No," he whispered.

"You and Laurel have a history…"

"But I don't love Laurel. I'll always care about her, but—" He reached out and held her right hand and stared down at their joined hands. "It was never how I feel about you… I never knew that it was right… I always had doubt in my mind… I never wanted to make the next step…"

"But we're happy for Laurel…"

"Yes," he said and then suddenly wrapped an arm around her as they started to walk again. "Thank you…"

"For what?" she asked as she looked at him.

"For feeling like you could ask the question," Oliver told her. "YOU can always ask me ANYTHING."

. . .

TBC…


	28. Parental Meddling

Even though there'd been people around her that she knew were there for her, the night had still been overwhelming. She was fairly certain that more than three months ago, it would have been too much. Of course, if it had been that far back, she would have likely had a Bluetooth hands-free device on her ear listening to Oliver in the field as the Arrow while making excuses for why he was late. Felicity sort of missed that. Except, she never missed the part where she had to talk to Isabel Rochev.

The knock on the door didn't catch her by surprise; she knew that Moira was going to have it out with her. She and Moira didn't get along, that was clear, and Felicity doubted that things would change. She wanted to be able to have choice in her own life and she had a feeling that that just wasn't going to go over well between Moira or Merlyn. She had no idea what would happen, all she knew was that it wasn't going to end well for her.

Getting up from the bed, she crossed the room until she came to the door. There was a knock again as her hand rested on the doorknob. She sucked in a deep breath and held it as she opened the door. Her gaze was downward, but when she noticed the shoes…and they were black men's dress shoes, she looked upward.

"Hi."

Felicity just stared for a long moment. "Hi," she echoed quietly.

"You just sort of disappeared… Everyone else has pretty much left…or turned in… I wanted to make sure you were okay." He paused. "Can I come in?"

Felicity stepped to the side. "I actually thought you were your mother, here to lecture me about how I need to be the perfect obedient future daughter-in-law," she admitted as she watched him walk in. He turned to her and looked confused, but she took the moment to close the door and turn her back to him for a moment. She turned back. "She really doesn't like me, Oliver… This is going to be so hard…for all of us…"

Oliver closed the distance between them and held onto her. "We're going to get through this…"

"I don't WANT to get through it," she told him and tried to think of the best way to explain herself. She took a deep breath and just stared at him. "Oliver, I told you… I don't want to be their prisoner… I don't want to be held to their every whim… If they want us to get married, fine…let's go and get it done with. If they want you to run QC as CEO again, fine…you can go in early tomorrow… But I want to live, Oliver…"

He just nodded for a moment. "You're right…" He was quiet for a long moment. "But I don't want us to get married just because that's what Merlyn wants…or even if it's what my mother wants… I want us to get married because we love each other and we WANT to spend the rest of our lives together… I want you to KNOW that no matter what, that I'm going to be here for you. And QC, well… The wheels are already turning on that… I'm supposed to show up in two days to start back… I was sort of hoping that I could have my assistant back?"

It was a lot that Oliver was asking, not so much of her, but more so…his mother and Merlyn. They weren't so patient. "Anything to get out of here…" she told him. "I might even bring you coffee…"

He grinned. "I won't expect it."

"Good."

"Do you want company?" Oliver asked.

"I thought that sleepovers weren't allowed?" Felicity questioned as she eyed him. The last thing she needed was another point on Moira Queen's talking points in the morning at breakfast. She moved away from Oliver and stepped out of her heels. She turned to see him standing there still, just watching her.

"Roy is spending the night with Thea, so I don't see why I can't spend the night with you…" he said gently. "I WANT to stay…if you want me to…"

"I want you to stay," she whispered as she fidgeted with her hands. She looked down and wondered if they were really able to break away from the orchestrated life that Moira and Merlyn insisted that they live in so far.

"You're sure?"

Felicity nodded. "Especially if you're stripping down to your boxers…"

She looked up to find Oliver grinning in response. "Do we want me to turn or something while you change…or?"

"You can help first," she said as she turned her back to him and looked over her shoulder in his direction. "Unzip…"

"I could get used to this," he whispered.

Felicity looked down at her shoulder, blush rising in her cheeks. She ran her thumb against the ring on her finger as he unzipped it. Things were so different now, but at the same time…they felt the same. She left it unzipped and then moved to grab her camisole and pajama shorts that she'd planned on sleeping in before disappearing into the bathroom. She knew that Oliver would understand. He'd seen her in her bra and panties, but she still needed some space…

She changed quickly and ran a brush through her curled hair. Felicity stared at herself in the mirror as she removed the make-up with a wipe. It was nice to have this quiet time and a moment to herself and knowing that Moira wouldn't come barging in…she'd certainly have to go through Oliver and that would cause a lot of doubted that she'd do it now. Moira probably knew that Oliver was in her bedroom.

"You okay?" he asked after a light knock.

"I'm just taking off my make-up and then I need to take the contacts out," Felicity told him. He was sweet and she wondered if he was worried about her breaking down and hiding it from him. She'd promised to TRY to tell him when things got harder, to keep from hiding it from him… That wasn't always easy though.

Felicity took her time though and Oliver didn't bother her further. She removed the make-up, replaced her contacts with her glasses, and then pulled her hair back into a ponytail before she finally emerged clothed in pajamas. She found Oliver sitting on her bed in his boxers and a white t-shirt. She smiled and half thought about telling him that a t-shirt really wasn't needed. She preferred shirtless Oliver, she was fairly sure that most people did…

"Feel better?" he asked.

She nodded. "A little closer to normal," she said before she discarded what she'd changed out of into a hamper and set her dress over a nearby chair.

"Can I help?"

"With what?"

"Making you feel more normal?"

She smiled brighter. "Fairly sure that you in my bed isn't normal, but I'm not complaining," she said quickly. Felicity moved towards the bed and stopped when she spied something unexpected under the bed. She stopped and then frowned up at Oliver. "I gave the letters to you…"

"I know," he said. "But I thought they were safer with you… I figured that I could always sit in here while you slept and read through them…"

That was true.

Felicity crawled up onto the bed and sat there, facing him. "Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?" he asked.

"For being you…" she told him and realized that was kind of vague. "I wouldn't have left this room or survived that party if it hadn't been for you… I actually somewhat enjoyed myself," she admitted. Felicity knew that the party was to benefit the press and the others outside of their circle. They needed to show that things weren't any different even if they were…

He smiled. "I'm glad… And truth be told," Oliver told her before pausing for a moment. "I wouldn't have enjoyed that party if you hadn't been there…"

Felicity smiled in return. "So…" She went quiet and played with the ring again. It was so odd to have it on her finger. She liked that it was so thin and so light, she supposed that she was going to have to get used to wearing a ring. Eventually, she was going to be Mrs. Queen. Though, she really wasn't sure if she wanted to be Felicity Queen. Either way, a ring would be expected to be worn on her left ring finger.

"How about we start with my promise to you?" he offered.

"No secrets," she whispered.

"The whole truth," Oliver said. "No holding back."

They were both quiet for a few minutes, Felicity was sure that they were both thinking over things…and probably hoping that the other would go first. She really didn't know where to start. It seemed like Oliver knew what would have been her biggest secret, if she kept those…Malcolm Merlyn was her father.

Oliver let out a sigh. "The reason I asked Sara on the Queen's Gambit," he spoke up. "Was because things were getting too serious with Laurel. I self-sabotage. She was all ready to move in together and had everything planned out…and I wasn't ready. She was ready though and…I couldn't do it…and I guess I couldn't tell her…"

"So, you dated her sister?"

"Hindsight is twenty-twenty," he defended.

Felicity just nodded with a small smile.

"Obviously I wasn't the only one who made it off of the Queen's Gambit. Sara did, but I didn't know that for a while… My father and one of the crew made it to the life raft… My father killed the other man and then himself in front of me."

Felicity gasped in shock. She knew that there were things about the Queen's Gambit and what happened on and around Lian Yu that he just wasn't ready to share, but this? She hadn't expected to hear that come out of his mouth. "Oliver…" she whispered, but really didn't know what to say past that.

"He did it in order to give me a chance to live. At the time, there was no other way. We would have all died on that life raft before we made it to Lian Yu. That's where I got the book of names…"

Felicity had no idea how devastating it had to be for Oliver to not only watch his father kill someone, but also kill himself in front of Oliver…and in order to save him. She just wanted to wrap her arms around Oliver and hold on. To hope that they could push all the pain and heartache that either one had experienced through hugging a little too tightly. Felicity wanted to kiss his face and tell him that he'd come so far and even though she didn't know his father, that he would have been proud of him. How could Robert Queen not be proud of the man that Oliver was becoming? He wasn't the same lady-chasing bad boy frat boy he was when he'd originally stepped on the Queen's Gambit.

"I know you haven't read all the letters yet—"

"I was actually hoping to hear most of it from you before I really start to read them," Oliver said gently. "I thought that maybe it would make things a little easier… Or at least, I thought it might."

"I thought Merlyn was crazy when he first took Thea and I," Felicity said slowly. She looked down t the bedding and fidgeted with her hands as she talked and then realized she really needed to communicate with Oliver. They were supposed to be so much more than just friends and communication was important in a relationship. So, she looked right at him as she continued. "He started to say things…and I tried to tell myself that it was just coincidence that he knew things from my childhood…"

"Like what?"

"My favorite movies… My father used to sing to me and we'd dance around. I was always the princess…" Felicity answered. "At least until he left…"

"But he convinced you?"

She nodded. "He started to sing…" Felicity started to tear up and immediately wiped at her tears. She felt stupid crying over any memory of Malcolm Merlyn. "I was four when he left us…" she whispered. "I didn't…I didn't know he was Malcolm Merlyn. I can guarantee you that is not the name of my father on my birth certificate." She sighed. "And then I think that my whole life is made up of lies…" Felicity realized that she was getting off track. "I didn't remember his face," she explained. "My mother took all of the pictures of him away and I never saw them again after he left… If I had had a picture of him, I think I would have put the two together… But it was his voice… He sang to me…" Felicity whispered as her voice broke.

"You couldn't have known…"

"It doesn't make it easier," she admitted. "And I think it just made it harder when Merlyn tried to turn Thea against me…"

Oliver sighed. "Thea…"

"It's going to be weird, isn't it?"

"That we share a half sister?"

"That I'm also your best friend's half sister…"

Oliver smiled a bit. "Is it horrible that I almost said that he's not my best friend anymore?"

"You can have more than one," Felicity informed him. "Though, I'm sure that Diggle would be happy to know that he doesn't have to give up that title…"

"Digg and I are close, but that's not who I was thinking about," Oliver admitted.

Felicity just stared at him for a long moment. "Me?" she questioned. "But…"

"You've stuck by me through everything, Felicity," Oliver explained. "No matter how much of a jerk I was… No matter how stupid I was… No matter how much I needed you… No matter the danger… You were always there… You always tell me when I'm wrong and I need to hear it, you make sure that I do… You're not afraid to fight with me…"

"It's probably because I stopped seeing you as Oliver Queen… THE Oliver Queen…"

He laughed. "Not sure if that's a good thing…"

"It is," she assured him. "It's good for you to be seen as human rather than some Disney prince."

Oliver shook his head, a beaming smile on his face. "You have no idea how much I missed you when you were gone…"

"I do," Felicity told him truthfully. "Maybe more so…"

"When I went to join the League of Assassins… I heard you telling me that there was another way… That's why I didn't join," Oliver told her seriously, dropping his smile. "Your voice was in my head and I knew how upset you would be…and I couldn't handle that weight on my heart. I couldn't bear anymore weight…"

"When Merlyn decided that he should teach me how to use the bow… I would think of you. I would think of you being there with me," Felicity admitted. "It helped make things easier… I felt a little safer…"

They stared at each other and Felicity knew that there was so much more for them to say between each other, but with a quick glance to the alarm clock on the nightstand and she knew that they really needed to sleep. "You're need your sleep…"

"I'm not CEO of Queen Consolidated for another day," he told her.

She bit her bottom lip for a moment. "The reason that I have a hard time sleeping at night… It's more than just the fact that Merlyn tortured me so that I thought I was going to drown…and that I woke up in that box… I keep thinking that I'm going to wake up on that boat again… That I'm going to be a prisoner… Oliver, I can't do that again. It's been hard enough living in this house…"

He held out his hands to her, palms up. Felicity examined them for a moment before placing her hands over them, their palms finally meeting. Oliver grasped her hands and then pulled her over to him, so that they were both up sitting in front of the pillows. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

"We're going to get out of this house… I just didn't think that we could push for things all at once…" Oliver whispered. "I think once they know that we're going to got through with our promise that they will be more accepting of letting us make our own choices…"

Tears ran down her face. "I don't know how much longer I can wait…"

"You have me… You have Tommy and Thea… You have Diggle and Sara…and even Roy… We're going to make it through this," he said with confidence. "It's just going to take some patience…"

"I don't even think a saint could be more patient," Felicity countered, but nodded a moment later. She knew that he was right, but it was hard. She really wanted to be at the point where she didn't feel like she was a total basket case all of the time. She wanted to feel like she was able to make decisions on her own and have some control in her own life.

"Maybe some sleep will help?"

"Maybe," she whispered. She wasn't going to fight it. So far, she'd been able to sleep with Oliver holding her. She was willing to find out if having just Oliver there was enough… If not, then he'd really see what he was in store for if he continued on with their road to marriage. It weirded her out slightly to think of it in that way.

His hands took hers and just held them for a moment before she wrapped arms around him and held on tight. Tears fell from her eyes and she squeezed him, like she needed to know that he was physically there, that he was real. At night was the hardest. "We're going to be okay," he whispered and kissed the side of her face as he continued to hold her as she held him. One of his hands stroked her hair as he moved them so that they fell against the pillows. "I'm here…and I'm not leaving…"

Felicity sniffled, pulled back slightly, and reached up to wipe away the tears. "Maybe one day I won't be such a mess," she said, angry at herself. This wasn't how she used to be. Sure, Felicity was always the emotional one in the group…but not like this… This was different.

He moved her hands away and started to kiss the tears away. "You're not a mess," he told her when he finally kissed her forehead. Oliver draped his arms around her, holding her even with distance between them. His forehead leaned against hers and Felicity closed her eyes.

"I told you, I feel broken—"

"You're not," he countered and moved to look right at her, his hands holding her face in place. "Merlyn…my mom…they don't get to decide that…"

"Do you?" she whispered quietly, a tad bit confused.

Oliver shook his head. "But I know you, Felicity… Don't you think that Diggle and I would be far more protective of you… Or Tommy… If you were really broken? If you really needed all of our protection, then all three of us would be sleeping in this room… It's going to take some adjustment…"

"How did you do it? Adjust?"

Felicity knew that Oliver's five years on Lian Yu was a lot different than her three months between the boat and the island, but at least he knew how she felt…or she thought he had to. Oliver didn't just come back from Lian Yu and do what he was told; he did what he'd been doing on that island. He continued to put on the green hood…

"It was hard," Oliver told her. "I didn't have someone I could talk to about it…because…well, I had been used to everything that happened over those five years being my story to keep. Everything changed when I came back. Laurel was with Tommy. My mother married Walter. Thea was all grown up. I didn't feel like I could really trust any of them with it…and at the same time, I didn't want to force that weight onto them. They didn't know what they would be getting into if I shared what happened on Lian Yu. I told everyone that I was there alone…"

Oliver was quiet for a long moment and Felicity couldn't bring herself to speak. "I didn't have you…or Diggle… I'd go to sleep in one of these beds and then I'd have to move to the floor because I couldn't get used to how soft it was… I slept wherever I could for those five years… One night, I had opened the windows in my room and I woke up screaming… My mom ran in because she thought that something was wrong. I was having a nightmare, but there was rain coming in and she didn't understand how that was comforting to me."

"Because of the island…" she barely whispered.

He nodded. "But I don't need it anymore… I couldn't cope with what they wanted forced on me. Not then. But it would have been easier if there had been someone who I knew I could talk to…that I could trust…" He was quiet for a moment. "And I hope that I'm that person for you…or at least ONE of those people… You have so many people who are here for you, Felicity… Don't forget that. That we all love you."

. . .

The next morning at breakfast they were all surprised by an unexpected guest. Felicity had actually thought about going back upstairs and skipping that first meal. Malcolm Merlyn was sitting at one end while Moira Queen was sitting at the other. Breakfast was certainly going to be interesting and awkward.

"Good, everyone's here," Merlyn said.

"I was hoping to not actually stay," Thea spoke up.

"No, you're all staying," Moira said firmly.

Felicity sighed as she sunk down into her seat. At least she was sitting with Oliver… It could be worse; they could be suffering on their own. Felicity was fairly sure that group suffering really wasn't going to help any of them, but at least she, Tommy, and Thea wouldn't have to rehash what happened a bunch of times.

Merlyn looked extremely happy in his navy suit. Felicity was sure that in his mind, this was some fantastic family breakfast and everyone was excited to be there. That really couldn't be farther from the truth. "We have a lot to discuss this morning…" he began. "You three have done great in the last couple of days, but there's still more work to be done."

"I'll be taking back over as CEO of Queen Consolidated today," Oliver spoke up calmly. "And I'm hoping to convince Felicity to come back with me—"

"No, no," Moira quickly with loads of disapproval. "That just won't due, Oliver. We can't have Felicity working as your assistant again. How will that look in the papers? Especially when the engagement is announced? When you're married?"

"She's right," Merlyn spoke up as well. "It won't look right and I promised Felicity that she'd have a proper life…the life of a Merlyn or a Queen. Like Tommy and Thea…and you, Oliver. That doesn't mean serving as an assistant. No, it won't due. Moira and I will come up with something proper—"

"She should be able to make her own choice in this," Oliver argued.

"We know what's best, Oliver," Moira said.

"She's done everything—"

"It's okay, Oliver," Felicity whispered as her gaze fell downward, her hand on his thigh.

"No, it's not!" Oliver snapped and his face immediately softened as he stared at her.

"Oliver's right," Tommy spoke up. "You've let Thea, Oliver, and I go back to pretty much the jobs we were doing before…or what the family expects of us… Felicity should be able to do something as well."

"She could do something else," Moira spoke up. "Work with a charity…"

"I gave her my blessing to still work with the Arrow…" Merlyn added.

"I hardly think that's appropriate," Moira argued.

"It's. Not. Your. Decision," Thea finally spoke up clearly and loudly and with even some anger. She pounded her fist down on the table with each word.

They all stared in Thea's direction and there was quiet for some time before anyone else spoke up again. Felicity grabbed Oliver's hand and decided that she wasn't letting it go. She watched him and could see that he was clenching his jaw. No one was happy.

"It's fine," she whispered. More than just to Oliver. He seemed to be clenching his jaw even more now. She knew that he wasn't happy with that response. Neither would Tommy or Thea. "They're going to do what they want no matter what… Us fighting them is only going to make it harder on the rest of us." Felicity half hated herself for saying that, but it was the truth. The awful truth.

"She's right," Merlyn said and seemed too cheery about it.

It felt like she was signing her life away to them.

"Now, let's get down to business," Merlyn said. "Moira and I have already discussed the timeline."

"Timeline?" Oliver asked and squeezed her hand.

Felicity covered their hands with her over one. It was one thing for her to face Moira or Merlyn individually, but when they were united…that was a different story. She didn't want to know what they could do to her…or any of them if Moira and/or Merlyn took anything out on them. Felicity already knew what Merlyn was capable of and she knew that Moira wasn't to be messed with or underestimated.

"You two have six months of 'dating'," Moira announced. "Plenty of time to make it into all of the papers and find a way for the rest of the world to love you both. Then the engagement… We need to find out how to make all the planning public, well, not the dress… That would just be bad luck. And then a wedding once we hit the one year mark."

"I'm sure getting the media and everyone else to fall in love will you is going to be the easiest thing," Merlyn said a moment later.

"Oh, Thea," Moira said quickly. All her attention was on her daughter now. "You could use social media and help—"

"Absolutely not," Thea interrupted. "This is INSANE." She looked between Merlyn and Moira. "You both know that, right? You may be focusing on Oliver and Felicity right now and playing puppeteers, but you're hurting ALL THREE of us." Thea was getting up, looking rather pissed, Roy getting up quickly as well and at her side. "I won't be apart of this… It's bad enough that you're both meddling… At some point you need to stop and see that you're hurting us all!"

And Thea was gone (Roy too). Felicity didn't know how Thea could be so brave in front of Merlyn and Moira. Of course, she'd had practice. Thea had grown up in the Queen household and their family had been close with the Merlyns, so maybe she didn't see them to be as terrifying as she did…or maybe Thea was just stronger than she was.

"Well, then…we'll figure out another way of doing it," Moira announced.

"Can we be excused?" Oliver asked a moment later. His free hand was now covering their stack of hands.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Moira asked.

"I think we've all effectively lost our appetites," Oliver replied through gritted teeth.

"And I really should figure out how I'm going to run Merlyn Global as CEO since let's face it, that was never my calling," Tommy said as he got to his feet.

"Fine," Moira said with a flip of her hand. "Be dismissed…but Oliver, I'm serious about Felicity not working as your assistant…"

"I heard you loud and clear," Oliver said as he got to his feet, still holding Felicity's hand.

She stood with him. Felicity knew that Oliver wasn't going to be pleased with her. She hadn't stood up to them, but how could she? Felicity looked between Merlyn and Moira. "I can join him for lunch, though, can't I?"

"Of course," Merlyn practically beamed. "Nothing more romantic and heart warming than you making sure that he eats on his first day back… Right, Moira?"

"I don't see any harm in it…as long as you make sure you're wearing something acceptable…" Moira spoke up.

"Diggle can drive you," Oliver told her.

"I can drive myself," Felicity argued.

"No, no… You need to play the part. Mr. Diggle WILL drive you," Moira insisted.

Felicity just nodded. This was going to be a long…she didn't know how long of a timeframe…

. . .

"Shall I start calling you Mrs. Queen?"

"You're going to make me use physical violence today, aren't you?"

"Are you going to tell me what's gone on since the party? Not like you to threaten me with physical violence for a joke…"

Felicity sighed and half thought about stopping the elevator to explain herself to Diggle. He was just trying to cheer her up, she was sure, but he was saying all the wrong things. "It's just…it's been a long day."

"It's lunchtime."

"Let's put it this way," Felicity said, thankful that they were alone in the elevator. "Breakfast included both of Thea's parents."

Diggle opened his mouth and Felicity watched as he thought about it. "That's a breakfast that I'm glad I wasn't invited to…"

"Yeah, I would have rather missed it too."

"I'm assuming that they're still be controlling…"

"And manipulative…and solely interested in their interests…and…and—" Felicity didn't continue when the elevator doors finally opened. She walked out and towards Oliver's office, her stomach dropped a bit when she noticed some other woman at her desk. Don't be mean, she told herself, she's just doing her job and knows nothing of the insanity or your life right now.

"How can I help you?" the beautiful assistant asked all too cheerily.

"It's okay, Melissa. This is Felicity Smoak, my…girlfriend…" Oliver said. He'd hurried from his desk to intercept them. "And then Mr. Diggle is my driver…and bodyguard…"

"It's so nice to meet you both!" she beamed. "I've very good with faces and names, so I'll make sure that I remember for next time!"

"Great," was all Felicity could manage to push out. She tried to keep a smile in place. It really wasn't the beautiful girl's fault. It really wasn't. Or at least she kept telling herself that. "Are you ready for lunch?"

"Actually, you have that meeting, Mr. Queen…"

"With who?" Oliver questioned.

"Ms. Rochev," the assistant informed him. "She called me to make sure it was on your calendar… She said that she'd already talked to you…uh, did I do something wrong?"

"No," Oliver said quickly to the assistant and then turned back to Felicity. "Rain check?" he asked and she could see him cringing at the word. "I didn't know or else I would have—"

"It's okay," she said quickly as she held up her hand.

"That ring is fab!" the assistant chimed in. "Did Mr. Queen get it for you?"

"Ring?" she heard Diggle say.

Well, she'd gotten through breakfast without anyone noticing. She was surprised that it had remained a secret that long. Not a secret really, just that no one had noticed. "Yes, actually he did," Felicity said and was surprised at how much pride was in her voice when she said it.

"Can I see?" the assistant asked.

"I really should walk them down," Oliver said.

"No, it's okay, Oliver," Felicity insisted as she held out her hand for the assistant to say. If Thea wasn't going to use social media for Moira, Felicity figured that Oliver's assistant could put out things here and there. "It's a beautiful ring… It deserves to be shown off, wouldn't you agree, Melissa?"

"Beautiful! Absolutely!" Melissa gushed.

"Okay, I'm going to walk Felicity down to the car and I'll be right back up," Oliver said as he moved to Felicity's side and put his arm around her.

"But Ms. Rochev—"

"I promise not to keep her waiting long!"

"Good luck," Felicity whispered before Oliver was turning her around and the three of them were heading for the elevator. But Diggle waited until they were inside of the elevator and the doors were shut before turning to face both of them, arms crossed over his chest.

"Did I miss something?" he questioned.

"What?" Oliver blurted out and was obviously confused.

"You gave her a RING."

"It's on her right hand," Oliver said and then turned to Felicity. "Left hand is the one the wedding ring goes on, right?"

Felicity just beamed. She missed this. It being just the three of them. These were her guys and no matter how gloomy her world seemed, they never failed her…and they never failed to bring a smile to her face. "Right."

Oliver turned back to Diggle. "It's on the right hand."

Felicity didn't miss Oliver looked back to check which hand she had it on. It only made her smile all the more. She wouldn't have a problem coming and visiting Oliver every day if she got five minutes of this… They were both far too perfect.

"It's a RING," Diggle insisted.

Oliver opened his mouth and then closed it before opening it again. "I feel like there's no good response here."

"Maybe, what the ring is for?"

"It's a promise ring," Oliver told him.

"A promise ring? Isn't that a little old fashioned? And wouldn't it still go on the left hand?"

"It's not a promise ring like that. It's not pre-engagement or anything. I mean it is, but that's not the promise it's symbolizing," Felicity rambled.

"I promised to always tell her to truth…loyal…no secrets," Oliver completed.

"So, basically you two had your own little wedding ceremony and didn't invite the rest of us?" Diggle asked. "I mean…there's a ring to prove it."

Oliver just looked more confused now. The elevator door opening seemed to save him though. They walked out and headed towards where Diggle had parked the car they were using for the day. "So, I had asked Diggle even before I knew I had lunch plans to take you to the Foundry…"

"The Foundry?" Felicity asked. She was surprised and confused. She had thought that she was going to be subjected to going back to Queen Mansion and having to work her magic at avoiding Moira. She was quite happy to know that she could go to the Foundry since it really was the closest place that she felt that she could call home, plus all of her stuff was apparently there…so, pretty much it was home.

"Tommy and Thea are going to be there," Oliver filled in. "I know the three of you really haven't had much time together since you got here…"

"Sara and I will be there…and maybe Roy, but we promise to be quiet," Diggle spoke up. "And since you never made it to lunch, I'll make sure we pick you up lunch too… Can't have you starving…"

"Your mother—" Felicity started to argue.

Oliver had his hands on her arms and he was staring right at her. "Stop thinking about my mother… She needs to stay out of our business… Our relationship and your relationship with your siblings isn't of her concern… Please, Felicity, let me handle her…okay? Just go…and try to enjoy a couple of hours with them, okay?"

She finally nodded. "Oliver?" Felicity didn't wait for him to respond in any way, she flung herself at him and held tight. "Thank you."

"I'll see you at the Foundry as soon as I'm done here…" Oliver told her as his hands ran up and down her back. It was comforting to know that she was going to be able to be somewhere and with people that she knew that she wouldn't have to hide her inner self. "I love you," he whispered.

Felicity closed her eyes and whispered back to him. "I love you."

"Like I said, had yourselves a private non-official ceremony…got yourselves married…and didn't even invite the rest of us," Diggle said.

Felicity laughed and then pulled back. "I'll see you soon."

"Soon."

. . .

The Foundry looked different, at first Felicity just figured that maybe they'd moved things a bit, but then it dawned on her. "You guys don't know what a broom or a dustpan is, do you?" she asked.

"It's not like we have company over," Diggle argued.

"Do you know how much dirt that everyone carries in on their shoes? Let alone how much Oliver brings in when he's out as the Arrow? Dust is not good to be breathing in and it's especially not good for the electronics…" Felicity started to lecture and then she came to a full stop. "What is THAT?!" she asked as she pointed to where a chunk of concrete was missing from a wall.

"Roy."

"Why?!"

"Mirakuru."

Felicity followed Diggle further in the Foundry, he was carrying the take-out. She started to notice every single spot where there was a piece of missing concrete or something was broken, cracked, or bent. "All of this? It's all Roy?" Felicity questioned.

Diggle pointed to some random crack. "That one MIGHT have been from the earthquake machine that Merlyn set off and took down half of The Glades."

"So, Roy…" she said with her hands on her hips.

"Oh, it's all Roy," Sara said with a laugh as she appeared. "I told them both that you weren't going to be happy with him breaking the Foundry…"

"OR the lack of cleaning," Felicity added as she glanced in Diggle's direction.

"I think we really suck as a team on that front too," Sara told her. She crossed the room and threw her arms around Diggle as he was pulling food out of bags. She hugged him and kissed his cheek. It was still odd for Felicity to see, but they seemed so happy…and they looked good together…

"I hope you don't mind that I'm here early," Felicity said.

"No! Of course not! John texted and I was excited that the three of us were going to be able to have lunch together," Sara told her. "Plus, we're not at Queen Mansion, so that's a plus too…"

Felicity beamed. "A very big plus."

The three of them sat down together and Felicity felt a bit more at ease even though she was mentally tallying up everything that was going to have to be done in the Foundry in order for it to be back in perfect working 'Felicity Smoak approved' order. If she wasn't allowed to work at Queen Consolidated, then she was certain that she could throw herself back into working at the Foundry. She was sure that the computers were going to need to be recalibrated in some way. That would take time and she could rearrange things if she needed to.

They finished lunch and Felicity felt the need to let Diggle and Sara have a few minutes to themselves, plus she knew that Tommy and Thea would be there soon. Felicity really wanted to also feel like she'd actually done something productive for the day though. She motioned towards where she used to sit every night. "Do you mind if I just go check over things?"

"There's no need for you to ask, Felicity," Diggle told her.

"I was just keeping your seat warm… You can ask John, I never did things the way you did… You probably would have been able to find Thea if it had just been her taken," Sara told Felicity. "We looked…and looked…and chased leads…and we got nowhere."

"I'm sure that's not true," Felicity said and was certain that Sara was just trying to be nice. She knew that she was having a hard time adjusting back and Felicity realized that Sara had to adjust back after Lian Yu and the League of Assassins. She'd done that, so Felicity knew that eventually…she'd get there. She smiled and got up from the chair she was sitting in and moved towards the computer.

Sitting down in the chair and turning towards the computer, she was actually feeling a little nervous to touch the keyboard. It had been a while… But as her fingers hovered over the keys and she looked at the screen, it was like she just knew what to do. Which she did, but she was still worried about messing things up. Her fingers flew across the keys before she knew it; she was already realizing things that needed to be done to their system. She was going through files quickly just to see what they were in case she could clean up things a bit. She froze when she opened one file.

"Digg, Sara…what's this?" she asked as she turned back to them. Her finger tapping the side of the screen and pointing towards what she'd brought up. They moved over to where Felicity was sitting and they both took a moment to look at what she had up on the screen. Diggle looked clueless, but she saw on Sara's face that she recognized it.

"That was some of the stuff I was looking into without John," Sara said.

"Without me?" Diggle asked her.

Sara shrugged. "I didn't want us to both be going on a wild goose chase…"

Felicity pointed to one thing on the screen. "This," she said. "That's the boat that we were on, I'm sure… The name I saw briefly when we were left on the island…" She looked towards Sara. "You would have found us."

"I had looked into anything having to do with Merlyn, but at the time I hadn't gotten anywhere," Sara admitted. "We didn't know…"

"You kept saying it could have been him," Diggle reminded Sara. "We were all just so sure that he was really dead."

"There's a lot of that going around," Felicity mumbled. "You would have found us," she said.

"Maybe," Sara said. "Either way, I'm glad that you're here…and that you're back…"

"Tommy and Thea are upstairs, I'm going to go let them in," Diggle said before disappearing.

"How are you really doing?" Sara asked.

Felicity turned in her chair until she was fully facing Sara. "I've been better," she admitted. "I don't think that Merlyn or Mrs. Queen are really helping any…"

"You and Oliver and everyone else need to get out of that house…"

"I know," she whispered and looked down. She fidgeted with her hands and sighed. "Oliver's probably not happy with me after this morning. Merlyn was there too…and he and Mrs. Queen were pretty much planning everything out for Oliver and I and they also decided that I can't go back to work at Queen Consolidated as Oliver's assistant… Everyone else argued with them about it, but I just said it was fine…even though I hate it…"

"It's all a lot for you to go through," Sara said. "But Oliver's not going to be mad. Did he seem mad at Queen Consolidated?"

"No."

"He looked really confused when I noticed the ring and wouldn't let him off the hook about explaining that," Diggle said as he reappeared with Thea and Tommy.

"There's a ring?" Thea practically shouted.

"It's not a big deal," Felicity said as she held up her hand.

Thea took it and immediately started to examine it. "You deserve something bigger and shinier…and with diamonds…"

"Oliver obviously picked it," Sara commented.

"What's this ring for?" Tommy asked. "I thought you had six months until there had to be an engagement."

"It's not for engagement," Felicity told him. "It's for a promise Oliver made to me."

"Oliver made a promise and he sealed it with a ring?" Sara questioned. "You really are a lucky woman, Felicity… Not many people can bring Oliver to the point where he's willing to really commit a part of himself… I think this is bigger than moving in with someone."

"I agree," Thea said.

"I thought it was just a ring?" Tommy asked in confusion.

Thea laughed and half hugged him. "This is why Felicity is so lucky that she has a brother AND a sister… Because I understand the significance of this…" She looked back at Felicity. "And to be honest, I'm a little jealous…"

"Don't be that jealous," Tommy said. "No one needs to be rushing into anything."

Thea sighed dramatically. "You're going to do FINE tomorrow! Stop being so grumpy!"

"I'm not grumpy."

"You're grumpy," Thea and Felicity told him.

"We're going to go back into the other room and pack up," Sara told them. "We figured that since everyone's back and the Foundry is going to be a little more crowded that we could probably use all the room we could get."

"Plus, it was nice to actually sleep in the bed at my apartment again," Diggle added. "We won't be far if you need anything…"

Thea was hugging her suddenly and Felicity let out a giggle. She missed Thea hugging her. She dared not initiate any physical contact in front of Moira Queen in the mansion. She already got enough death glares from the Queen matriarch; she didn't need to push any more buttons. "Why don't we go upstairs? You guys can help me figure out how I'm going to get that club filled up every night again…"

"Staff helps," Tommy offered.

"Never would have guessed that," Thea told him sarcastically as she reached out and grabbed his arm. "Come on, you give me club advice and I'll give you CEO advice…"

"I don't think that's really an interchangeable skill set."

"Oh, it is," Thea insisted.

Felicity smiled. "I might even have some nuggets of knowledge…"

"See, between the three of us…we're going to have everything running and our lives are going to be ALMOST back to normal…" Thea told them.

"Felicity doesn't have a job," Tommy pointed out.

"Have you SEEN the Foundry?" Felicity questioned as Thea pulled them both towards the stairs.

"I'm sure I could find a job for her at Verdant…"

. . .

TBC…


	29. Turning Point

Felicity arrived downstairs, breakfast had arrived been served and eaten and everyone had already left for the day. She looked around and frowned. She'd noticed a complete lack of household staff, which she thought was nice, but at the same time it was odd to her. Felicity looked around, standing at the bottom of the stairs. She almost felt like maybe it would be a good idea to just go back to her room and hide there until Oliver or someone else that was a friend came home.

"Good morning, Felicity."

She closed her eyes for a long moment before turning towards the voice. She hadn't expected him. "If the staff—"

"No one's here," Merlyn replied quickly. "Moira made sure of it. I'm sure the staff won't mind having half of the day off. Paid, of course."

"Why are you here?" she asked, gripping the banister. Felicity was panicking a bit. If no one else was there, she really didn't feel safe… She'd left her cell phone upstairs, which she decided she'd need to start carrying it with her at all times, just in case.

"To see you."

"Why?"

"On the island, we were spending time together every day… I've missed that," Merlyn said.

"You could have come at breakfast," Felicity told him.

"I figured that it would cause more upset," Merlyn explained. "Plus, I think that Moira prefers to have staff to make breakfast… I can't blame her for that. Oliver's just started at Queen Consolidated, Tommy's starting back at Merlyn Global, and I know that Thea is hard at work at Verdant…and catching up with Roy… I really didn't think upsetting all of them with an appearance at breakfast was going to help any of us."

"Oh, you're here, Malcolm."

Felicity looked over to where Moira was standing. Great, the house wasn't completely empty. Moira was really the one other person that she'd been hoping to avoid for the rest of the day. No luck, apparently.

"I let myself in," Merlyn responded.

"I was hoping that we could talk about making Felicity more presentable," Moira said as she got closer.

"I thought that you had made arrangements for her and Thea to go to the salon and do clothes shopping when they first arrived?" Merlyn questioned.

Felicity was fairly sure that they expected her to feel like she was invisible. They were doing a fairly good job now. She thought about just walking away because they were going to do whatever they wanted no matter what she said. She hated it. She didn't need Moira or Merlyn to try to make her into a person that she wasn't.

"She doesn't cooperate."

"Neither does Thea."

Moira didn't seem pleased. "You don't want Thea engaged and married in a certain amount of time… Thea looks beautiful in front of cameras and she's used to handling the press and the media… Felicity isn't."

"I've done everything that you've asked," Felicity said finally. She was upset and irritated. "What more can you ask?"

"I can ask you to learn your place in this family," Moira told her firmly as she moved closer to Felicity.

"You want me to be Oliver's girlfriend…fiancée…wife…" she rattled off. "I've been working on that… You won't let me go back to my job at Queen Consolidated and—"

"Learning where you belong within this family is more important than all of that," Moira insisted. "It's not just being Oliver's wife…it's being apart of this family…it's about listening to me and following what I tell you to do."

"You can't control me! You can't control every part of me…or Oliver or Thea…or anyone else!" Felicity snapped. "You both think you're making our lives so much better, but you're not! Don't you see that? We're all miserable! You're holding us prisoner in this house, just like we were on that boat…and on the island! This isn't life… We want to make our own choices and live on our own! We don't want to be watched!"

She didn't know what had gotten into her; all she knew was that once she started she felt like she couldn't stop. This was what had been bottled up inside of her, not only for the past few days, but for the past three months as well. She wanted to be able to be herself…to be Felicity Smoak. For her to actually have some control over her own destiny.

"He has a reason," Felicity said as she looked from Moira to Merlyn and then back to Moira again. Malcolm Merlyn had lost it and didn't seem to be very good at taking his pills as far as Felicity could guess. At least that was some kind of excuse. "You! You're just a horrible person who lies to everyone—" Felicity watched Moira's hand pull back and upwards and start to come forward, she braced herself for what was coming, but the voice behind them stopped everything.

"STOP!"

Behind them, Tommy Merlyn stood. He looked angry in his fine suit. He marched towards them, his hands balled up into fists at his sides. When he held out his hand towards her, Felicity hesitated for a moment. She reached out and took it though; Tommy pulled her to his side and put a protective arm around her.

"You're supposed to be at Merlyn Global," Merlyn stated matter of factly.

"I forgot my phone," Tommy said. "Kind of important." He paused for a moment as he turned to look at her. He stared at her for a long moment and Felicity knew the question he had.

"I'm okay," she barely whispered and was happy to have him there to intervene. She'd known that Moira wouldn't react well to her words, but she hadn't expected physical violence. Though, thinking back to it, Felicity knew that she shouldn't be so surprised.

"Imagine my surprise, finding you condoning Moira's behavior towards Felicity," Tommy said as he addressed Merlyn. There was deep disappointment and anger in his voice. "How can you expect ANY of us to have a good relationship with EITHER of you when you treat us like this? Felicity may be my half sister and Thea's, but that doesn't mean you have to treat her like she's inferior…" He paused for a moment as he stared at them both. "If anything, she's better than us." Tommy looked at Moira. "She made sure that Thea was safe on that boat…and on that island… I wasn't there all the time."

"I'm sure Thea was fine—" Moira started to say dismissively.

"She would have been raped if Felicity wasn't there," Tommy said. He held onto her tighter. "The two of you keep pushing things on Felicity…the more you're going to lose all of your children… Think about that," Tommy told them before guiding Felicity up the stairs.

"Thank you," she said once they were up near the bedrooms.

"You had it handled, they just needed to know that it's not just you that feels that way," Tommy told her. He stopped and turned to her, holding onto her shoulder. "And you KNOW that you're not alone, right? You KNOW that Thea and I…and Oliver hate this as much as you do? I WISH I could be the one that is forced into marrying someone… If I could take that away from you…" His voice trailed off and he was no longer looking right at her. He looked so very upset though, distraught even.

Felicity reached up and touched his cheek. "It's okay," she whispered. "And I know I say that a lot…especially when it's not okay." Her voice brightened a bit and her volume lifted just a tad. "But Oliver and I are going to be just fine… He makes me happy… And I—" She paused for a moment. "I couldn't have asked for a better big brother…little sister…or family…"

"You're excluding the crazies downstairs right?" Tommy asked and smiled towards the end.

"I really am," Felicity confirmed. Tommy pulled her into a hug and she was glad that he'd been there. It hit her though; he needed to be at work. "Merlyn Global," she breathed a moment later. She pulled away. "You should go…"

"Why don't you come in with me?"

"Not on your first day… You have a lot to do. An image to put forward. The last thing that you need is for me to show up with you on the first day, tomorrow we'd be dealing with tabloids saying that I'm cheating on Oliver…"

"Why do you have to be right?"

Felicity beamed. "Practice."

Tommy leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I hate to say this…but it might be better to stay in your room until someone comes home…"

"I think you're right…" She sighed as she moved farther away from him, taking a step towards her door. She looked back at him. "Have you noticed that it's just a fancy looking prison?"

"We really need to remedy that…" Tommy told her as he headed towards the room he'd been staying in. "For all of us…"

That was one thing that Felicity was sure had linked them so closely in the last three months. She, Tommy, and Thea had become a package deal… If Merlyn hurt one of them, he hurt the other two… She just wished that Melryn and even Moira would catch on to that fact.

"Have a good day," Felicity told him as she stood at her door. "You're going to be great…"

"I don't know about that."

"If Oliver can do it," Felicity said slowly. "Then you can… You never know what you're capable of until it's the only choice…"

"He had you."

She nodded, a smile on her lips. "You have the rest of us… I'll have my phone right with me… You can call me or text me if you really need me… Even if it's just to remind you that we're going to all be okay."

"You're the best." Tommy was in and out of his room in a matter of seconds and then froze. "Don't tell Thea I said that—"

Felicity grinned. "It'll be our secret."

. . .

She didn't know how she'd let him talk her into leaving her room… Maybe she was stupid. Maybe she was insane. Or maybe she was just glutton for punishment. All she knew was that she was really done being inside. Merlyn had offered her an option to leave her bedroom and the upside was that she'd be armed. She felt horrible for having thoughts of shooting Moira Queen with an arrow…in the leg or something like that, of course…but the woman was horrible to her. Felicity knew that there was no way she could get an arrow past Merlyn though.

They'd set up targeting and she was excited about actually being able to practice. She was half surprised that Moira wasn't out there yelling about how improper it was for the future Mrs. Oliver Queen to be on the mansion grounds shooting arrows. Maybe she knew better than to do that though…or maybe Merlyn had told her that there'd be enough of her for one day. Whatever it was, it was a little less stressful and a little quieter. It hit her, in that moment she preferred Merlyn over Moira and that just seemed so wrong in her mind.

"If you practice everyday you'll be so much better," Merlyn told her. "But you're doing wonderfully…"

"I don't think Mrs. Queen would appreciate me practicing here," Felicity commented as she pulled the bowstring back. She aimed, breathed, and then released. It hit pretty close to the center target, especially given how long she'd been working on it.

"Don't worry about Moira…"

"Why? You're not going to tell me to listen to her?" Felicity asked, her anger leaking through as she lowered her bow and turned to him. "Isn't that why you're here? To make sure I'm being the good daughter…that I'm obeying your orders?"

"You make it sound so harsh… You live inside of the Queen Mansion," Merlyn said as he motioned to the mansion behind her.

"It's a prison!" Felicity snapped at him. "And instead of you being the warden, now I have Moira Queen. I honestly don't think that it's exactly an upgrade!"

Merlyn didn't seem to be getting upset; Felicity almost swore that he looked proud of her. "What do you want then?"

"I want to be free from all of this—"

"I'm not changing my mind about you marrying Oliver," Merlyn interrupted. "I made a deal with Ra's al Ghul—"

"What exactly IS that deal?" she asked a moment later. He was just adding fuel to the fire at this point. She'd almost forgotten about that. Almost.

"It doesn't matter—"

"It does! Oliver and I will be the faces of Queen Consolidated AND he's the Arrow… Isabel Rochev, who I'm sure you know is Talia al Ghul…she's already told Oliver and I that she and Slade aren't finished… They're going to come after us," Felicity threw at him. "So, it DOES involve me and it involves Oliver… It affects all of us. The League of Assassins and Slade Wilson don't just go after ONE person, they go after their whole family…everyone that they love and care about… So, really…we're talking about Tommy and Thea and all of my friends…"

"They wouldn't dare—"

"Really? You think that just because you made some deal with Ra's al Ghul and the fact that I'm your daughter is going to keep us safe?" Felicity challenged.

"What do you want, Felicity? Tell me…"

"I don't want to feel like I'm in prison… I want to be out of this house… I don't want you and Moira watching my every move! I don't want to be dictated what I should be wearing! I don't want…" Tears fell from her cheeks and she was really trying to hold her sobs inside. She hated how much she'd been crying over the last three months, it only made her feel weak and broken…

"I could take you all away," Merlyn told her.

"No!" she said quickly. "I would rather die—"

"Felicity!"

"I mean it," she told him as she stared at him. All she could do was think about the water and the box… She couldn't go through that again, no matter how strong she was. "We all want the same thing," Felicity told him. "If you love us, then just listen to us… You want us to have some sort of relationship with you…I can guarantee that I'm going to be more likely to ask you for help in the future if you try to give me space… If you let me leave Queen Mansion… If you let me live my life a little more… You want Oliver and I to still get married? Fine. But the rest? We all deserve to be free from this place… From Queen Mansion AND Merlyn Mansion—"

"Felicity—"

"Do you LOVE us?" she asked.

"Of course."

"Then DO THIS," she told him. She opened her mouth to say something else when an arrow flew past both of them and hit in the center of the target. The perfect shot. They both turned and Felicity felt tears run free as she saw Oliver in the distance, his own bow in hand. He wasn't dressed in leather and green, which surprised her so much more given the bow… "Oliver," she whispered.

It was unexpected to say the least.

He moved towards them and even though he was in his dress shirt with his tie, he still looked just as heroic to her as he did when he was in the leather and green hood. She didn't move from where she was standing with Merlyn, though. Felicity wanted to run to him and hug him, but she suddenly was hit by the thoughts of what time it was…because Oliver was supposed to be CEO of Queen Consolidated… He had so much work to do in re-taking and keeping the company…

"You're home early, Oliver," Merlyn commented. "Beautiful shot, by the way."

Felicity watched Oliver; he was really clutching his bow in the one hand. He was angry and upset and she wondered why he was there. Then it hit her, Tommy had probably called or texted him and told him what had happened earlier. She wondered what was going through Oliver's mind and she wondered if she needed to say something.

"I got a call… I was concerned," Oliver said through gritted teeth.

"Tommy called you?" Merlyn asked. "Took you a while to get here…"

"I was working and my assistant doesn't understand what calls are urgent yet… I have been in meetings all day," Oliver explained. "I left work early when I finally was able to talk to him…" He looked directly at Merlyn. "Are you absolutely crazy? Do you just not care about Felicity or Thea or Tommy?"

"Everyone is so upset today," Merlyn commented calmly. "And questioning my love for my children…" He seemed oddly together and that scared Felicity to a certain point. "Your mother was the one who was about to strike her."

"And I'll be talking with my mother," Oliver responded evenly.

Merlyn looked from her to Oliver a couple of times before he finally spoke up again. "I thought that having you all between Queen Mansion and Merlyn Mansion meant that I was keeping you safe… I know that there's more evil out there than just the local bad guys… All I wanted was to keep my children safe… To secure their futures… Yours as well, Oliver…"

"You're not doing a very good job."

"Which was precisely what my daughter was just telling me," Merlyn told him as he turned to Felicity. He moved towards her and ran his fingers up one of her arms. "All I want is for her to be happy…"

Felicity had heard that before from him, but her happiness was debatable in their eyes. She wasn't happy though… Not really… "So, do the right thing…"

"I plan on it," Merlyn told her simply.

"You do?" Felicity and Oliver asked in unison.

"I'm going to talk to Moira…" Merlyn said. He sighed. "I just want to protect you…all of you…"

"She can protect herself," Oliver responded.

Merlyn just stared at her. "I can see that now." He looked to Oliver. "But I expect you to be there for her too…"

"I've BEEN here for her…" Oliver told him.

Felicity moved away from Merlyn and to Oliver's side. She took his free hand with hers, holding onto her bow still. "You don't have to worry about me," she said looking from their hands and then over to Merlyn. "You don't have to worry about any of us…"

"Thea has Roy—"

"Roy is dangerous," Merlyn argued.

"Maybe," Oliver conceded. "But he loves Thea… He's learning… That's something."

"And Tommy?"

"He has us," Felicity spoke up. "He has a family… We look out for each other. We're not going to let anything happen to him."

. . .

TBC…


	30. My Favorite Girl

"What are you three doing down here?" Diggle asked with a bright smile. Sara was sitting on his lap and they'd obviously just interrupted.

Felicity just returned the smile. "I didn't think anyone would be down here so early."

"We were…just…checking things," Sara said.

"Well, carry on," Thea said. "We're just hiding from my mom…"

The three of them moved to the area of the Foundry that had once been Sara and Diggle's on site bedroom. Now, their things were cleared away and Felicity realized that her couch was in there and her coffee table. She didn't mind it though. At least it was getting some use. They made themselves comfortable on the couch and Felicity pulled out her tablet. She'd already bookmarked some sites that showed real estate in Starling City.

"Are we going to try to find places close to each other?" Tommy questioned.

"Technically, I could stay with Roy again…" Thea spoke up.

"Where does Roy live?"

"Somewhere you probably won't approve of," Felicity spoke up. She was sitting between the two of them so that they'd be able to see her screen. "In The Glades."

"You don't think Roy would be willing to move?" Tommy questioned.

"We really haven't talked about it since we've been confined to the house," Thea admitted. "I actually didn't think we'd really be able to move out of there." She looked directly at Felicity. "Thank you for that, by the way. It saved me from being the super unruly and difficult child. It was a nice change."

Felicity smiled a little bit. "It was about time that Merlyn listened to us. We've all told him things and he's just ignored it."

"We still have to be careful," Tommy warned.

"I know," Thea replied.

Felicity hated to think that way. She was so happy to be apartment shopping right now. She really didn't want to think that Merlyn would take back what he'd said about how they could have more freedom… Felicity knew that she couldn't go back to being a prisoner. She'd rather die…

"I'd rather we all be close to each other, so that we can keep an eye on each other," Tommy voiced.

"I suppose that's a good point, though I'm just saying…maybe not something where we have to share walls…" Thea pointed out.

"Why do you even have to make my brain go there?" Tommy complained with a groan.

"It's not just me and Roy… You also have to think about Felicity and Oliver…"

"You're really not making any of it any better, Thea," Tommy continued. "I would rather just think that you lay in bed with Roy in footie pajamas."

Thea laughed. "Welcome to having sisters…"

"That doesn't mean that I need to think about what I might overhear."

"Felicity," Thea said as she poked her arm. "You okay?"

"Huh? Yeah," she said and swiped to the next page of apartments. She was trying to focus and keep from going to that dark place, but it was hard.

"You didn't hear anything we've said for the last couple of minutes, have you?" Thea questioned.

Felicity looked between them before answering slowly. "No…"

Tommy put his arm around her and pulled her close. Felicity rolled her body towards him a bit, letting her tablet fall against her chest. She closed her eyes for a moment as he held her. Thea wrapped arms around them a few minutes later and cuddled her way closer to both of them. "We're here," Tommy whispered. "Even if Thea insists on putting inappropriate images in our heads…"

"That was your mind going to the gutter," Thea said. "I just mentioned that maybe we didn't want to share walls… You know, so…you don't hear any fighting…if Roy and I were fighting." Her words were very non-convincing that that was what she actually meant.

Felicity laughed and held onto Tommy tighter. "I can't go back…"

"No one's going to make you," Tommy insisted.

"I'm okay with camping out here for a bit," Thea suggested. "This is your stuff, isn't it? You have a bed… Tommy can have the couch and we'll share the bed… If Oliver needs to be close or Roy, then they can bring sleeping bags."

Tommy laughed. "Well, I appreciate that I get the couch. Does that make me the favorite brother?"

"No," Thea said seriously. "But I'm not saying Oliver is my favorite either…"

"Making us work for it then!"

Felicity smiled and just tried to breathe in that moment. If it were only as easy as moving back into her apartment. She'd even looked to see if it was possibly still available. It had sold. There wasn't anything anywhere in the immediate area from where she'd lived before either. She knew that there were some places near Diggle's building, which she knew was promising. Then all of Team Arrow would literally be clumped together in the same part of the city. It would make things easier if they needed to carpool at all.

"You know, if I didn't know that you were all related…I'd probably be a little jealous."

Her eyes flew open and she found Oliver and Roy standing at the entrance of the room. Thea was up and off of the couch to embrace Roy before Felicity could even think about moving. "We were just—" she started to stumble.

"We were looking at apartments," Tommy told Oliver and then turned to look at Felicity. "And then someone drifted off…"

"I was just thinking…"

"I'd venture a guess that it was closer to worrying."

Oliver came and sat next to them on the couch. Felicity pulled herself away from Tommy and sat up on her own. She turned towards Oliver. "Do you think Merlyn will go back on his word?"

His hand came up and brushed along her cheek. "Felicity, I won't let him."

"WE won't let him," Tommy added.

"We're in this together, right? All of us? This isn't just Thea and Tommy and Felicity," Roy spoke up.

"No," Diggle said from behind Roy. He and Sara joined them. "This is definitely ALL of us…"

"We were talking about all living close to each other," Thea filled in.

"There are actually some places near Diggle," Felicity said as she pulled her tablet away from her chest and started to scroll to where she'd saved the search. "I'm sure we could find something that would work… Might even find some that don't share walls."

Thea just grinned while Tommy shook his head at that comment. Diggle and Sara seemed amused as well.

"Maaaaybe we should think about seeing if we could see some of these places tomorrow," Oliver said slowly as he looked about.

Felicity nodded and leaned against him. "I'll make a call in a couple of minutes, but you and Tommy have work tomorrow…"

"So, you guys go without us," Tommy said. He looked to Oliver. "They can take pictures and notes and then maybe the real estate agent can do showings of the best places at night or on the weekend."

"Sounds good," Oliver said.

"But I'm not sleeping at the mansion tonight," Felicity whispered.

"Felicity—"

She shook her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. "I'm staying here…"

"If you're not going back, then I'll go to Roy's," Thea spoke up.

Tommy sighed. "We still need to keep up appearances."

"WE do," Oliver said. "But Felicity… I don't want you alone down here…"

"We could stay here," Roy volunteered.

"No, it's okay," Diggle said. "You two go home tonight… Sara and I will stay…"

"You just moved out of here," Felicity pointed out and suddenly felt guilty. They didn't need to stay there that night; Diggle and Sara had just moved all of their things back to Diggle's apartment. The room had been cleared out and now only a few of her things remained in the same space.

"It's fine, really…" Sara insisted.

Felicity looked at Oliver. "I'll be fine by myself."

"Oliver's right…you shouldn't be here all night by yourself," Tommy insisted.

"I don't need to be babysat," Felicity told Tommy and then looked up at Oliver before getting up with her tablet and walking out of the little room. She was upset at herself more than anything because she knew that it would be hard being alone by herself in the Foundry for one night. She hadn't had he nightmares since she'd gotten there, but she hadn't spent a night alone…

Felicity wiped tears away before they could really fall and sat down at the computer. She knew a whole list of things that she needed to get done while Oliver went out as the Arrow for the first time in a long while… He needed to go out though. It wasn't fair to Diggle or Sara. They'd been doing it, from her understanding Roy had helped a bit…but the bulk of it had fallen on Diggle and Sara's shoulders.

"Felicity…"

"I really don't want to talk about this," she said and surprised herself by how upset she didn't mean to sound. Felicity tried to ignore it as she started to type away.

"Fe-li-city…"

She sighed. Great, just what she needed…Oliver AND Tommy on her about what she'd said. Felicity watched as Roy and Thea headed upstairs with Sara and Diggle. She had a feeling that they were trying to give them some room. She turned in her chair until she was facing them. "Look—"

"I didn't mean it like that," Tommy said quickly. He crouched down in front of her. "I KNOW that you can handle yourself… On the island, we had our own rooms and we slept separately for a long time. I KNOW you'd be fine… But that doesn't mean that I don't worry about my little sister…"

"I'm okay…" she whispered and felt tears fall and quickly pushed them away. "Don't mind the tears…I'm really not that—"

"It's okay if you are upset," Tommy told her. "You went through a lot… I couldn't protect you." He teared up now. "All I wanted to do when I found out that I had sisters and my dad- When he hurt you… All I wanted to do was to keep you safe… I couldn't do that."

Felicity felt the tears fall quicker as Tommy's voice broke and his own tears fell. "It's okay, I'm okay," she whispered as she hugged him. "We kept Thea safe…"

Tommy held her tightly and then stood, pulling her with him as they held each other. "But he shouldn't have touched you…" he said with more anger than Felicity had ever heard in his voice even though he was quiet.

"I don't blame you," she whispered. "I never blamed you…"

Tommy was quiet and he seemed to be trying to collect himself as he pulled back from her. He really wasn't one, like Oliver, to show his emotions that often. She didn't know if it was a guy thing or something they'd been taught growing up… It was good to see that he could break down though, if he needed to.

"All I can think is that you'll wake up here…in a strange place…and no one will be here when the nightmares haunt you," Tommy explained. "Thea and I won't be here… Oliver won't be here…"

She reached out and cupped his cheek. "We all need to try to heal, Tommy… I can't be a prisoner in that house one more night…" The look he gave her seemed to show that he understand exactly how badly she had been affected by everything, but he was still battling with what she was saying. "Plus, the Foundry isn't a strange place… It's home…"

It was quiet for a long time. It was a long time until Felicity really noticed that Oliver was still there with them, standing within arm's reach. She still had her hand on Tommy's arm, but she reached out to Oliver while her eyes never left Tommy.

"I'll stay with her…for part of the night, then I'll leave early enough so that I can make it back to the mansion—" Oliver spoke up to break the silence. His voice was quiet and calm.

"No, you need to sleep, Oliver," Felicity told him.

"And I will… I'll sleep better knowing that we all know that we're okay," Oliver said looking right at her when her head turned to look at him. He looked to Tommy. "That means you're sleeping at Queen Mansion alone tonight."

"I don't think your mother can really do anything to me," Tommy spoke up.

"Have Thea and Roy take you…they can gather at least some things for Felicity and drop them off before heading to Roy's," Oliver said.

Tommy nodded slowly. Felicity kept looking between them. She was still worried about both of them. They heard the door at the top of the stairs open and then the sound of echoing footfalls and Felicity knew that their time to speak privately was over.

"Thea?" Oliver called up the stairs as he moved towards them.

"Don't worry… Everyone's coming down the stairs."

Felicity froze at the familiar voice.

Why wasn't it that anyone could be kept safe? Felicity had wanted to feel safe there…she wanted to know that she could go there and not worry about Malcolm Merlyn showing up to steal her away to that boat again. She stepped back and fell back into her chair. She knew that she should have expected, known it was there, but she'd forgotten. Her eyes flitted up to Oliver and he could see that he was concerned.

"What do you want?!" Tommy practically roared.

After their conversation, it seemed that Tommy was more worked up than normal. Felicity got back to her feet, Oliver had already reached out to grab her hand, but she moved towards Tommy. She was afraid of what he might do and as much as it might be to see Merlyn suffer a bit, she really didn't want to add cleaning up blood off of the floor to her list of things to do in the Foundry.

Felicity reached out and grabbed Tommy's hand, bringing him back a step. She moved her attention to the others, they were moving towards them now. Merlyn was at the bottom of the stairs, clothed in his Dark Archer gear. Felicity hadn't expected that.

"I want to have a chat with my children," Merlyn said cheerily.

"Maybe we don't want to talk to you!" Thea spat.

"I want to talk to my children ALONE," Merlyn amended a moment later.

"I'm not leaving you alone with Thea!" Roy spoke up now. "I KNOW what you did to Felicity!"

She looked downward now, she'd known that Thea and Tommy had told Sara, Diggle, and Roy what had gone on…and she wasn't surprised that Thea would have confided in him, but it was still hard for her to hear that he knew…that so many knew. She didn't know why she felt ashamed, but she did. Felicity felt Oliver squeeze her hand and she looked over at him before he released her hand and moved towards Merlyn.

"I know you think you're doing what's right—" Oliver started.

"I am doing exactly what Felicity asked…but in return, I still expect to be able to see my children," Merlyn told him.

"A little space might be needed," Oliver suggested.

Felicity didn't know if she'd feel better about seeing Merlyn next week if she was able to move into a new place. In a month would she feel different? She didn't know for sure. All she knew was that no matter what, the nightmares would always haunt her in some way.

"Am I not speaking clearly?" Merlyn asked, he was obviously getting agitated.

Oliver looked back towards her and Tommy, as if wanting to know what they wanted. Felicity squeezed Tommy's hand and he turned to her. He still looked angry, like Roy on the Mirakuru at first…like he could explode at any moment. She could tell that he didn't want to talk to Merlyn, but did they really have a choice?

"I just want ten minutes…"

"You've had us for THREE MONTHS!" Tommy said angrily through gritted teeth.

"And I can easily take all three of you for the rest of your lives!" Merlyn shot back.

"But you're not going to do that," Felicity said quietly as she peered towards Merlyn. "You said you wanted us to be happy…"

Merlyn was still smiling, like he was so happy to see all of them. He tilted his head slightly. "I do. I want you all happy… But I also want to talk to my children…"

"Why?"

"I want to talk about what happened earlier."

"Are you going to take it back?" Thea questioned.

"Not unless you force my hand."

"Oliver, you're not actually considering—" Roy said.

It was as if Oliver knew what she would decide, maybe he could read her better now… He never used to so well. He was pushing his bow into the hand that she'd been holding his with only minutes before. She turned to him, releasing Tommy's hand and took the quiver before slinging them over her shoulder.

"Ten minutes," he said. Oliver looked towards Thea and then motioned for her to move to Felicity's side. "Speedy…" Thea moved like Oliver asked, even thought when Felicity looked over she could see how upset Roy was about this. "I'll be right upstairs."

"Thank you, Oliver," Merlyn said with a smile.

Felicity watched as first Roy and then Sara and Diggle…and then finally Oliver moved up the stairs towards Verdant. They were alone with Merlyn again. She pulled an arrow from the quiver and placed it on the bowstring, she pulled it back, but kept her aim down…for the meantime.

"Talk," she whispered.

"There's really no need to be so hostile," Merlyn said, a smile still on his face. It was almost like he found it all so amusing.

"I wouldn't call this hostile," Felicity told him. "I'm just…prepared."

"Daddy's little girl…"

"You're wasting time," Tommy spat.

"I thought you'd all be so happy to see me," Merlyn went on. "I assume that Felicity told you all that you could leave Queen Mansion… I hadn't known how…hostile…Moira could be with all three of you there… She's a mother and I know she means well—"

"She would have HIT Felicity right in front of you and you did nothing!" Tommy yelled at him.

Merlyn shook his head. "You underestimate my speed…and let's be honest, Felicity wasn't exactly using kind words with Moira… When you tell someone that they're a horrible person…that tends to boil their blood…"

"That's no excuse!" Thea told him. "What if she hit me?!"

"But she didn't… Your mother would never hit you," Merlyn said as if that thought made him so happy.

Felicity sucked in breath and tried to focus. "We were just looking for apartments…" she shared.

"Good!" Merlyn said and seemed to be even more pleased. "Money is no option… You don't need an apartment… Something long term… A house even—"

"I think right now, an apartment or a townhouse is going to be the best option for all of us," Felicity said slowly looking between Tommy and Thea. "Especially until we're used to being home… There's a lot to be done and something that permanent would take more time to move into…"

"That's a very good point!"

Felicity was glad that he bought that; she'd just made it up on the spot. It was kind of true though. "Thea and I will start looking tomorrow—"

"You shouldn't go alone."

"Roy and Diggle will come with us…Sara, too probably..."

"Good! Good! I'm glad! It's going to be exciting! You three out there in the world!"

He made it sound like they were baby birds that he was shoving out of the nest in order to learn how to fly. He was even more excited now. Felicity just nodded, but really didn't know why she was doing it.

"What else did you want to talk about?" Thea asked, irritation still lacing her voice.

"I just wanted to check in on the three of you, that's all," Merlyn said.

"Next time, maybe try texting," Tommy suggested.

"Not quite the same as being able to see the three of you…" Merlyn was quiet for a moment. "I miss our breakfasts…and dinners…and being able to train you, Felicity…"

"We knew that it was going to be different when we got to Starling City," Felicity offered. She really didn't miss any of that. Especially not the archery lessons…

"We did."

She watched as Merlyn paced, her hands ready to pull up the bow and release her arrow if needed. She really wasn't sure if she needed to aim so much at this range, but she had a feeling that Merlyn still might be fast enough to stop the arrow or to dodge it. Felicity was more comforted by the fact that it was there if she needed it and that Oliver was only a shout away. He'd be down that stairs before Merlyn could do anything if he tried.

"I guess then I'll leave you three alone for a while…" Merlyn said as he turned to the side, but paused. "But I want you to have a way to contact me." He pulled out a piece of paper and held it out.

No one was moving, but Felicity knew that he wouldn't leave until he knew that they had it. So, she moved past Tommy and slowly eased the bowstring back to its normal position as she put the arrow back in the quiver. If Merlyn were going to do something, he would have already done it. She reached out and took the piece of paper from him.

"I knew I could count on my favorite girl," Merlyn told her and was suddenly grabbing her and pulled her into his arms.

Felicity fought tears and panic. She could feel Tommy pulling her in the opposite direction. She knew that Merlyn was just in a good mood and was trying to be fatherly, but he had burned so many bridges…and Felicity still felt like he'd broken her and that she was still missing pieces.

"Just because I said that she was my favorite girl doesn't mean that you two need to get so worked up!" Merlyn brushed it off. "I love you both, too!"

"I think it's been ten minutes," Tommy finally spoke up after a long silence.

"I am a man of my word… Don't want the calvary rushing down the stairs," Merlyn said as if it were a huge joke. "I will talk to you all soon." And he was gone.

Tommy turned her towards him, searching her eyes. Felicity sucked in a deep breath and then let it out. "I'm okay… He was just trying to—"

"He has no right thinking he can be our father!" Thea shouted and Felicity wondered if it was supposed to be to her or so that Merlyn could hear.

The sound of rushing feet and Felicity knew that everyone had been waiting to get right back into the Foundry. "What happened? Is everyone okay?" Oliver asked quickly.

Felicity just stared at Tommy. "We're all fine… He was just checking on us…"

"And that meant we had to leave the room?" Roy asked.

She reached up and pushed Tommy's arms away and back to his sides. She touched his arm as she continued to stare at him. "Oliver's going to stay—"

"No, I'm not leaving you after—" Tommy started to argue.

"Something happened," Oliver said firmly and he came into Felicity's peripheral vision. He was worried now and she knew that it was because of how Tommy was acting. She hated that he seemed to feel guilty over how Merlyn had treated her, but she knew that it wasn't helping things.

"He grabbed Felicity—" Thea started to explain.

"He was trying to hug me," Felicity finished before Thea could twist it. She knew that neither of them were a fan of Merlyn, but that didn't mean that everything he did was in order to hurt them.

"If you had the bow—" Oliver started.

"Okay," she said quickly not wanting to continue the conversation. She pushed the bow and quiver into Oliver's hands before turning towards where Thea now stood with Roy, who was holding her as if his life depended on it. "Roy, don't think that I missed all the holes…and dents in the Foundry… You're going to be helping me fix those in the coming days… Thea can spare you from Verdant business during that time. Right now, I need you two to take Tommy back to the house and pick up some of my things… If you could drop them off when you head back this way?"

"I'm not leaving you, he could get in here," Tommy went on.

Felicity turned to him. "We can't be scared of him for the rest of our lives," she whispered seriously. "I have a lot of work to do here…and unless you plan on helping me with the computer system…you're going to be in my way."

"Are you banishing everyone from the Foundry?" Tommy asked and sounded angry.

"Almost," Felicity confided. "Oliver and Diggle are going to go on rounds…and Sara is going to stay with me and work on the computers."

"Why does she—"

"Do you have the knowledge that she does when it comes to computers? More importantly the Foundry systems?"

He looked upset, but she couldn't do this. She couldn't crumble. Felicity knew that if she let him push and get emotional that it would only relay to her and then she wouldn't be able to function for the rest of the night. It was going to be nice to be Felicity Smoak, IT girl again. She was actually looking forward to it. She didn't think that Tommy would understand, but she just hoped that he'd respect her decisions…at least for tonight.

"You're going to be together?" he asked as he looked between them.

"Sara was with the League of Assassins, remember? I told you. A bow might not be her weapon of choice, but she'll keep me safe."

"She's going to be fine," Sara spoke up confidently. "She's going to be better than fine…anyways…she's going to be working on the computers…and nothing's blown up… No one's going to get past me."

Tommy seemed slightly appeased. Not much, but he finally nodded. He wrapped his arms around her and held her for a long moment. Felicity wondered if he felt the need to be more protective of her now because he could…with Thea, he'd grown up with her and had thought of her like a sister…so he'd had his protective moments of her… Their time on the boat and the island had seemed to make up for lost time in a lot of ways, but not in every way. He pulled back slightly and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "But you'll call me…if you need me?"

"Yes," she promised with a smile.

Tommy eventually moved away from her and towards Thea and Roy. She took a moment to breathe before watching them head up the stairs. It wasn't until the door at the top of the stairs shut that the others turned to her. Felicity was certain that everyone had something to say, but she moved back to her computer. She had work to do after all.

"So, I get to suit up…" Diggle said.

"Those were the orders from the boss," Sara chimed in a moment later.

Felicity turned in her chair towards them. "I'm—I didn't mean to—I mean, I didn't—I wasn't thinking that I was the boss and I—"

Oliver chuckled. "You're the boss, Felicity," he told her before dropping a kiss on her head. "I'll go change…" Diggle followed him after a quick kiss to Sara.

She looked towards Sara who just seemed happy. Felicity knew that this happy was deep down. It wasn't like when she smiled when she was first here, she'd been able to see how empty and dark Sara had felt deep down. Now, she was different. And Felicity was happy for her…and Diggle. Maybe she had just needed to let her past go…and Oliver had been part of that past.

"It's nice to see you in charge," Sara commented as she approached. She pulled the other chair along to the side of Felicity's before sitting down. Sara looked right at her. "I bet you'd do well running Queen Consolidated…"

Felicity hadn't ever thought of doing that, much the same that she'd never thought that being Oliver's executive assistant would teach her so much. Not only about Queen Consolidated and running a company, but also so much more about Oliver. "Please…don't give him ideas…" she whispered.

Sara beamed in response. "Don't you know you'd be good at it?"

"CEO of a company is a lot of responsibility and—"

"I feel like it's nothing something that Moira or Merlyn could use against you."

"It's Oliver's job."

"So, do it together…"

Felicity just stared at Sara for a long time as she considered it. There were times at Queen Consolidated when sometimes Felicity HAD done Oliver's job just because he was too busy with Arrow business or—well, he just wasn't able to do it. She knew all of the people and she knew what had to be done. But being CEO was a big step…even if it meant sharing the position. She didn't even know if that was possible.

"At least THINK about it," Sara told her gently.

"I will," she said quietly. "But right now, I'd like to start to get the Foundry back in order…"

"Diggle and I didn't mean to—"

Felicity smiled at her and interrupted. "I guess I just like things a certain way…"

"I suppose that I would too if I'd remade this place," Sara said as she looked around. "Diggle told me that that's what you did when Oliver disappeared and went back to Lian Yu after The Undertaking."

"It was a project…and I needed a project to keep me sane," Felicity admitted. It had been hard with Oliver just disappearing like that. She'd been left wondering if he'd ever return and if the world that he'd shown her was going to ever reappear. How did you go back to just being an IT girl when you worked with a crime fighter at nights?

"Okay, so we won't be long," Oliver said as he approached.

"This is going to take me at least three hours… So, we'll let you two patrol and pick up dinner on your way back before you go out again," Felicity said.

"Do you have orders in place for dinner already or it that up for discussion?" Diggle teased with a smile.

Felicity blushed and tried to pay attention to her screen. "I—I," she stumbled, but her chair turned around and Oliver crouched in front of her. She stopped trying to get the words out that she'd been trying to push before.

"You would tell me if there was something I needed to know, right?" Oliver whispered. "Or if you needed to talk?"

She nodded in response and just smiled at him. "I really am okay… Merlyn wasn't here to hurt us… Apparently I'm his favorite daughter."

"I'm really not thrilled to know that," Oliver admitted.

"Neither was I, but at least I'm not the horrible child who doesn't obey," Felicity put out there.

He was still frowning. He kissed her and squeezed her shoulder lightly before standing up straight. "We'll call you both when we're done with the patrol."

Felicity noticed that Oliver was standing there and staring in Sara and Diggle's direction, she peeked to the side and smiled more. Diggle was taking his time kissing Sara goodbye. She looked over back at Oliver in amusement as he cleared his throat.

"I don't know why you aren't still kissing her," Diggle spoke up. "She was gone for three months."

Both Felicity and Oliver were blushing a bit now. "Some of us prefer doing that behind closed doors…" Oliver said before grabbing Diggle and hauling him towards the stairs.

"Some of us aren't so shy," Diggle teased.

Both Sara and Felicity were laughing now. She looked over to the other woman and then turned back to her computer. "You know that's not the end of it that we're going to hear about it tonight," Sara said.

Felicity shook her head because she'd just been thinking about that. "Oh, I'm prepared for them talking about our relationships and acting like they didn't realize that the comms were open the whole time," she said as she typed away at the computer. It really wasn't going to take a whole three hours, but she had wanted a good buffer in case she needed to do anything with their servers.

. . .

TBC...


	31. Family Bonding

"Is this really necessary?"

"Yes."

"It has to be okay how it is structurally or else Verdant would have collapsed into the Foundry, right?"

Felicity was not amused. "When I left the Foundry, it was in perfect condition. I get kidnapped and hidden away for three months and come back to holes in things, dents, dust everywhere, and a computer system that's been messed with."

"I like the trashcan on the desktop."

"It was YOU?"

Roy just shrugged.

Felicity glared at Roy and when she looked over to Roy, she noticed that he just seemed amused by everything taking in place in front of his eyes. She sighed. Sara and Thea were upstairs trying to get Verdant to the point where they could try to hire bartenders and servers and get it going again. Felicity knew that Roy would rather be up there helping out, but he'd compromised the Foundry and he was going to help fix it.

"Digg, do you think you could go out and buy a shop vac? Sweeping is only going to go so far… I'm also—" Felicity stopped herself when she noticed Digg smiling even more. "What?"

"You're the boss…" he responded.

"Right," she told him. "I'll make you a list."

"Shouldn't Oliver be the one with the Honey-Do list?"

Felicity started to write her list and looked over her shoulder at Diggle with a smile. "I could always ask Sara down and have her hand you the list…"

He chuckled. "Don't worry, Felicity… I'll cooperate better than Roy."

"Hey!" Roy complained.

Felicity motioned to Roy to do what she'd told him to do. "Get started." Roy gave her what she'd decided was a kicked puppy look before finally turning to work on his task. Felicity was about to speak up to Diggle again when the door at the top of the stairs opened. She sighed and just hoped it wasn't Thea. Roy was already upset enough that he had to be separated by a floor from Thea…she didn't really want to hear complaining about it again. Roy would survive…and so would Thea.

Thea wasn't the one who came down the stairs though, it was Sara. Diggle seemed quite happy to see her. Felicity watched them for a moment, they embraced each other and they were quietly talking. She'd caught Roy's disappointed look, but it was his own fault. The Foundry needed to be patched up. The sooner that happened, the sooner Roy could be at Thea's side upstairs.

Felicity understood that Roy was nervous about Thea being alone, so was she. It was something that she, Thea, Tommy, and everyone who loved them had to get used to. Someone couldn't always be there to protect them at all times. It just wasn't possible. They all needed to be able to take care of themselves in some way and they needed to start to feel like they could be safe again. Felicity was certain that she wasn't the only one that was struggling with that.

"Felicity's being bossy," Diggle said, but it really wasn't a complaint. It was more a statement and Felicity was fairly sure it was just to see what Sara would say in response.

Sara was holding onto Diggle's jacket as she pulled away from the kiss, she was just beaming at him, Felicity was so happy for them. "Good!" Sara insisted. "I'm glad! Someone's got to keep you guys in line!"

"She gave me one of those Honey-Do lists!" he complained, but again it really wasn't a complaint.

Sara laughed. "She's trying to make sure that you're trained," she responded and hugged him tight. "Just think about what our evening…or rather early A.M. is going to look like after everything is done," Sara told him. Felicity watched as Sara leaned over, standing on the bottom step made her closer in height to Diggle, and whispered into his ear. Whatever it was, Diggle seemed happy about that. Sara kissed him again. "Get that list done."

"Do I get anything if it's done quickly?"

"Possibly a new list," Felicity spoke up.

Diggle looked over at her and looked exhaustedly at her.

"You guys dropped the ball while I was gone…" Felicity reminded. "And Roy's being…uncooperative…"

"I'm doing it!" Roy called.

"Now," Felicity and Diggle chimed in at the same time.

Sara just laughed and shook her head and then pulled Diggle up the stairs. "Don't worry, he'll get the list done and be back and ready to help with whatever else needs to be done."

"Thanks," Felicity said quietly. It was still a bit odd for her to be in charge of things, but at the same time it made it super effective. It meant that she could make sure that everything was done that needed to be done. She looked over towards Roy and he was doing what he was supposed to be doing, which was a relief. She was determined to make sure that the Foundry was where it needed to be, so that she wasn't cringing and eye twitchy every time she was down there, plus they would all thank her once it was done.

"Now time to remind your brain how to do your job," she whispered as her hands came together in front of her and she turned towards the computers. She'd been on one since she'd been back, but she still didn't feel like her old self.

. . .

"Why are we doing this again?"

Roy's words couldn't be more right to what she was thinking and she was sure what everyone else was thinking too. Sara and Diggle were so lucky to be able to opt-out of this dinner. Felicity had been dreading it all day. She knew that was sort of silly because technically they were all still living in Queen Mansion, but not for much longer…and really, none of them spent that much time there. She'd actually slept at the Foundry until Oliver had woken her and taken her back to the mansion just long enough for them to sleep for two hours, shower, and then have breakfast before they were out of the door.

Felicity didn't like to be in the mansion any longer than she needed to be, so even though she could have stayed and slept in, she woke up with Oliver and left when he did. She'd just end up going to the Foundry and napping there.

"Because like it or not, we're all a family," Oliver said evenly as they approached the house.

"I'm not a Queen," Tommy said.

"You might as well be," Thea told him. "You practically were raised in this house too…"

"Time to put smiles on," Tommy prompted.

Felicity really didn't know what she would have done if Tommy and Thea had been separated from her when they'd first gotten back. Now, it was a little easier, but Oliver was right. They were all family. "You know, TECHNICALLY, we're missing a couple members of OUR family…"

Oliver smiled over at her and wrapped an arm around her. "We'll have our own family dinner another night…"

"I volunteer for that," Roy piped up.

Since it was 'dinner', that really meant extra time for socializing on either end of the meal. Felicity would have been fine, if it had been civil.

"I need to talk to you two," Moira said once everyone was in the sitting room and had settled. She'd indicated her and Oliver and Felicity just felt sick. "In private."

"Really? In private? I'm pretty sure the rest of us are going for 'no secrets'," Thea pointed out. "Whatever mean thing you do to Felicity, we're going to find out and be pissed at you tomorrow, so you might as well do it in front of us."

"I—I wasn't going to do anything mean to Felicity," Moira replied to Thea and then looked towards Oliver and Felicity. "I'm resigned to the fact that Felicity will be marrying into our family whether I approve of it or not."

And…that was a compliment for Moira.

"It's fine," Felicity said as she looked towards Thea and got to her feet. Oliver was at her side, holding onto her hand. Holding hands was a simple gesture, but it tended to be something they did all of the time now when they were together, but especially when they were at Queen Mansion.

They walked out of the sitting room and down the hall to another room that Moira felt like speaking in. She started to pull the door closed behind them, but when Oliver was a step ahead of her and pulling on her, she left it. It was only a few inches open, but she figured that it was enough. She doubted that Thea or Tommy or Roy would be coming to eavesdrop anyways.

"What's so important that you needed to do this privately, Mother?" Oliver asked.

"Malcolm wants to meet with both of you, on a weekly basis," Moira explained. "I didn't want to say it in front of the others because they would likely strike it down immediately."

"Why would he want to see us that much?" Felicity questioned. It was one thing if it really was a one-time thing. This was something completely different.

"He wants to work on archery things is my understanding," Moira relayed. "He said that he taught you, Felicity, on the island and that he hasn't finished training you. He said that he thought that Oliver would be interested in joining as well…though, I think that's really up to you, Oliver."

"I—" Felicity started to respond and couldn't find her answer. She knew that this was his way of connecting, but she really wasn't ready for it yet.

"Malcolm Merlyn's supposed to be dead, I don't know how us having a weekly archery play date is going to help things… Unless he has some kind of secret area to train?" Oliver countered.

"I have no idea. You two should take it up with him. He said that you know how to contact him," Moira finished.

"I do," Felicity said quietly.

"Well, then, I'll leave it to you, Felicity," Moira told her.

Felicity could tell that Moira wasn't thrilled about any of this, but it was what it was. None of them were exactly thrilled about it. She just nodded and fidgeted with her hands as she turned back towards the door. She'd noticed that Oliver had waited a beat before following her towards the door; she'd seen him out of the corner of her eye. She pulled the door open and found Walter on the other side. Felicity let out an audible gasp and just stared at him for a moment.

"Walter, what are you doing there?" Moira questioned, her voice now close to Felicity.

"I was looking for you," Walter said evenly in his perfect British accent.

"How much did you hear?"

"Enough."

He turned and walked towards the front door. "I can see that nothing has changed in this house."

"Walter!"

Felicity felt horrible. Walter was the one person in the Queen 'family' that knew nothing of what had gone on, none of the real story. He didn't know about Merlyn (well, now he did) and he didn't know that Oliver was the Arrow…and he certainly didn't know that Felicity was also Merlyn's child. Though, she figured that he might have overheard that too. She turned towards Oliver and Moira and could see that Moira actually looked quite upset and even guilty. "Why don't you let me talk to him?" she suggested quietly. "Go on back to the others before they worry…"

Without waiting for a definite answer from Moira, Felicity moved to follow in the direction that Walter had gone in. She quickened her step after a moment and made it out the front door as he was pulling his car door open. "Mr. Steele! Wait! Please!" she called.

"I really don't think there's much to talk about, Ms. Smoak," he replied. He was clearly upset, though trying to mask it.

Felicity walked closer to him. "You don't understand everything…"

"Moira has taught the rest of you to lie—"

"I don't want to lie to the world," Felicity stated quietly. She looked around to make sure that they were really alone. "I hate it. You can ask Oliver, I hate keeping secrets… It gnaws at my insides to keep secrets," she told him as her hands flayed across her stomach, pressing against the soft fabric of the dress she was wearing. "But you're right. We've all kept secrets and lied to each other. There are things that Mrs. Queen knows that we wish she hadn't known…but we didn't have a choice in that."

"I've gone through enough of a life with lies—"

"Malcolm Merlyn held Tommy, Thea, and I for three months because we're all his children," she finally said. "I didn't know. I mean you would think I would because he actually stuck around for a few years, but I didn't have pictures growing up…and…I guess none of that really matters," Felicity rambled on.

"Malcolm Merlyn is your father?"

Felicity nodded. "Believe me, not something I want to shout from the rooftops…" She moved until they were only a few feet apart. "He tortured me while we were held, he wanted me to tell him things about Oliver…and Queen Consolidated. Merlyn also wants Oliver and I to get married and I'm not allowed to be Oliver's assistant at QC anymore. It's apparently not 'proper'. He's lost it. Completely…or he's bipolar…or both. Can you be both?"

Walter smiled suddenly. "I don't know how you can be in such good spirits with all that you're saying."

"Believe me, it's not easy…and sometimes…it's a façade, but we all need each other to be stronger…to make it through another day," Felicity told him quietly. "We need you two."

"I'm not sure that that's true."

"I," Felicity said with emphasis. "I need you."

"Felicity—"

"You know Thea's told me what a good dad you were to her after Mr. Queen died… I have to admit, I'm a little jealous… She and Oliver have you as family… I have a mother who doesn't feel like I've amounted to anything even though I've gone far beyond what anyone else that graduated with me went. I became my own person…but that's not good enough for her."

"She really didn't seem…pleasant."

Felicity smiled at his wording. "Ah. Right. My funeral. Oliver mentioned that you'd contacted her."

Walter closed the door on his car and moved to Felicity. He put his hands on either side of upper arms. He stared at her and was quiet for a moment. "Felicity, I am always here for you…just as I am for Oliver and Thea… You can pass that on to Tommy and Roy, too, if you like… No matter what happened between Moira and I, I will always be here."

"Can you be here for dinner?" Felicity asked after a moment. "Please? Moira kind of hates me… Her compliments are always insults."

"I don't know how anyone could ever hate you," Walter told her.

"It probably doesn't help that I found out about Thea being Merlyn's daughter and told Oliver…"

Walter sighed. "I suppose that we all really kept secrets from each other…"

"So, does that mean you'll come back inside?"

"No more secrets," he said firmly. "I cannot help any of you if I'm kept in the dark."

Felicity nodded slowly. "Well, then…we're going to have quite a lot to discuss at dinner," she told him. "A lot…"

. . .

"I see that far more has gone on over the last couple of years than I knew," Walter said towards the end of dinner. "I never realized that we had heroes in this family…"

"I would hardly call them heroes, Walter," Moira replied bitterly.

"I would," Tommy piped up.

Felicity hadn't been surprised at how quiet Tommy had stayed through dinner. Of all the people at dinner, he probably felt the most awkward even if he'd grown up very close to the Queen family. "I would too," Felicity said and then stopped. "Wait…plural?"

"You, Felicity," Walter said slowly. "From what I've heard…you're quite the hero yourself."

"He's right," Thea spoke up.

Felicity stared at them for a moment and then felt blush fill her cheeks as she looked down. She didn't feel like a hero. Oliver was the hero. "I don't go around the city saving people," she said quietly. At that moment, Oliver reached out and placed his hand right above her knee. He squeezed lightly after a moment and looked over at her. She really didn't feel like a hero.

"You saved ME," Thea reminded. "You didn't train like Oliver did. You didn't have five years… You saved me just the same…and you kept us all safe…"

"She's right," Tommy said. After a beat, he added as he pointed his fork in Felicity's direction. "Don't make me say that too many more times…"

Felicity smiled and then looked over at Tommy. He was smiling back at her. She appreciated him shifting the conversation, even if it was just a bit. She hated to be the center of the conversation, especially at the Queen table.

"Oliver should be focusing on Queen Consolidated," Moira voiced. "Let the police handle the crime…"

"That really wasn't working out so good before, Mom," Thea told her.

"I have to agree—" Roy started.

Moira interrupted quickly though. "You're only saying that because I understand that you're training too… Isn't one person running around in a costume with bows and arrows enough?"

"No," Felicity and Roy responded at the same time.

"No offense, Mrs. Queen, but I wish that Thea and Tommy would be open to learning it," Felicity spoke up. "That and self defense… I think that we all should know how to defend ourselves… For the very least because we're the children of Malcolm Merlyn and we never know who might be out there to try to harm us…"

"I'm fairly sure being a Queen is dangerous too, so that probably makes it doubly likely for me," Thea spoke up and Felicity had a feeling that maybe her little sister was considering it.

"No," Moira said. "I don't want anymore ranges set up on my lawn."

The room was quiet for a long few moments before Walter spoke up again. "Actually… When I was a boy, I used practice archery… I wouldn't mind taking it up again…"

"Really?" Thea asked, surprise obvious in her voice.

"I was quite good actually."

"Well, then maybe we should make a family day out of it," Oliver suggested.

Felicity didn't miss the fact that Moira didn't seem thrilled, but she wouldn't mind that idea at all. Maybe it would make them feel more united as a family, well mostly anyways…

. . .

TBC…


	32. Unexpected Changes

"Wow…" Roy said slowly as his feet hit the floor of the Foundry at the bottom of the stairs. He and Thea were the first ones down. "Okay, so next time I won't complain." He paused and then looked back at Felicity. "As much," he amended. He and Thea moved away from the bottom of the stairs and further into the Foundry after a moment.

"Next time, don't punch holes in the Foundry," Felicity told him.

The Foundry was clean and she'd taken some time to change somethings. There were more workspaces, given that there were more people, but she'd done it in a way that it didn't take up a whole lot more room. She'd also brought in additional glass cases with mannequins, Sara's Canary costume was already displayed, and they also made a fairly good room divider. They'd also defined an area for sparring as well as an archery area, which was complete with bow holders and a new order of arrows. The room that had once been used by Oliver and Sara and then later by Diggle and Sara had been changed around so it was more of a break room that could convert into sleeping spaces if needed.

"There are more than two cases," Oliver pointed out as his hand rested against the one that held his costume. He was looking directly at her and she knew that he wanted to know why.

"Would you believe me if I told you that they were discontinuing them and I got a killer deal on buying in bulk?" Felicity asked. She noticed that Diggle and Sara were amused by her response, but not Oliver. Roy and Thea were still in awe and looking over the Foundry.

"Felicity-"

"Well, Roy and Sara and Digg DID run things while Team Arrow was sort of broken up-" She paused. "I figured that maybe more people deserved a proper mask and costume to conceal their identity."

"I don't think we're ready-"

"Felicity's right," Sara spoke up evenly.

Oliver seemed even more frustrated now. Felicity had known it would likely upset him, but she had hoped that he'd understand. Right now, that didn't seem likely.

"If Slade comes back-" Felicity brought up.

Oliver had her hand suddenly and was facing her. "He's not going to touch you OR Thea OR anyone else I love again." He seemed almost angry, but Felicity could tell that it wasn't AT her. He was angry at the THOUGHT of them getting hurt again.

"But Thea and I...Tommy...we should all know how to defend ourselves," Felicity told him gently.

"They might not be able to take on Slade with the Mirakuru, but it could help keep them alive," Sara added.

"I don't think Slade is the only one we have to be worried about," Diggle spoke up.

"Malcolm Merlyn?" Roy put out there.

Felicity squeezed Oliver's hand as she looked right at him. "Isabel Rochev."

"It's better we're prepared in some way, Oliver," Tommy spoke up. "I'm not saying that I'm going to learn how to use the bow or go out and fight crime at night… But I do think that we should all be able to defend ourselves in some way."

"You're not trained," Oliver said and for the first time, he took his eyes off of Felicity and looked at Thea and Tommy. He seemed tense and his words were short and almost with gritted teeth.

"Felicity is," Tommy countered. "And you could train her more. She saved Thea! Do you really want to just leave her with the bit of training my father's done?"

Felicity was quiet and squeezed Oliver's hand. "I don't want to go out into the field with you and Sara every night," she said quietly. She didn't think she could cope with the idea of possibly killing someone else. It still weighed on her, especially when the bow was in her hands. "But I would like to be able to come and help you if you needed back-up."

"I can't always be back-up," Diggle spoke up. He had his arms over his chest as he stood there. "Roy's learning...but it wouldn't hurt to have additional back-up especially with Slade out there."

"I'm pretty good," Roy said with confidence.

Sara and Diggle let out a laugh and Roy seemed a bit insulted. "You're not quite that Arrow," Diggle commented. "You're yet to pass the tennis ball test."

"It's a stupid test," Roy grumped in response.

"When you pass it, then you'll be more helpful," Diggle told him. "Or are you afraid that Felicity might pass it?"

Felicity knew that she probably couldn't pass that test. She still felt lucky if she could hit the target right on.

Maybe it was a confidence issue or maybe it was the truth. As good as she felt being able to defend herself, Felicity didn't really feel like she was up to cleaning up the streets alongside Oliver and Sara or even Roy.

"That's fair, Ollie," Sara said gently.

He gave a short nod, but it was clear that Oliver wasn't pleased about it at all. Oliver moved past all of them and seemed to need his space.

Felicity looked between the others. She knew that this was hard on Oliver, he didn't feel right putting her in harm's way. She got that. The thing was that he often forgot that she had a choice in it as well. It wasn't that he was trying to be controlling, but rather that he care so much about her. Felicity knew that.

"Can you guys give us a couple of minutes?" Felicity asked finally. Her tone was calm and quiet. She just felt like she needed to talk to Oliver before they went forward.

It didn't take long and there were certainly no arguments before everyone headed upstairs to Verdant.

"You didn't have to send them away," Oliver said after a minute. He was quiet and much calmer, his back was still to her.

"I did," Felicity insisted quietly. "I should have talked to you before, but-"

"But I've been busy with Queen Consolidated," he said and turned back to face her.

Felicity tilted her head. "You're very busy now… I know it's been a lot for all of us." She was quite quiet now. "I should have said something to you...but I didn't want you to talk me out of it."

"I just-"

"You want to protect me, I know," Felicity told him. She was quieter a moment later as she echoed, "I know."

She could tell that he was thinking as his hands ran down along her arms. He was staring at her and he was fighting the emotions that were threatening to push through. Felicity knew Oliver. Of everyone, she KNEW him. She didn't care who grew up with him and who had seen him before the island...that wasn't who he was now. This was the man that in ways, she'd helped to form...the man that she was so proud of… Oliver Queen, the man that she knew she could trust with her life...her heart...her soul...and she'd happily give her life for his… In a heartbeat. No questions.

"I'm afraid of losing you," he finally whispered as he stared down at her. He could hear the fear and sadness in his voice and she could see it in his eyes. "I know that everything you've said is right… I know that everything that everyone else has said-"

"We're all still figuring it out," Felicity said gently.

"I wish you were at Queen Consolidated with me," Oliver admitted. "It's not just being able to KNOW that you're safe during that large portion of the day, but also...I miss you...I'm just not as good with my job without you there…"

"You know that I'd much rather be with you there," she told him.

Oliver nodded as his right hand continued to let his fingers dance along the skin of her arm. "Maybe we could make it work…"

"As much as I hate to bring it up, your mom and Mer-"

"Not as my assistant."

"Then what?"

"CEO."

Felicity stared at him for a long moment. "YOU'RE CEO," Felicity reminded and wondered if she needed to be concerned that he'd hit his head.

"Maybe we could BOTH be CEO…"

"Oliver-"

"OR something else, but I NEED you, Felicity…" he told her. "And if you're interested in coming back to Queen Consolidated...then we can talk to Walter… We can figure out a way to make it work…"

Felicity finally just nodded and was quiet for a moment. She bowed her head and then looked up at him. "You know...I really don't know anything about being a CEO…"

He smirked in response. "I don't think you learned a lot of things that you can do now at MIT."

"That's true."

"Felicity Smoak, one thing I know for sure...if you set your mind to it, you can do anything," Oliver told her with all of the confidence in the world.

She beamed at him and lifted herself up on her toes to place a kiss on his lips. Felicity smiled brightly at him. "Be careful what you wish for, Mr. Queen… I might just be your boss one day…"

"If you ask Diggle, I'm pretty sure you got promoted when I wasn't looking," Oliver replied with a huge smile in place.

Felicity shook her head. She still thought that that was so silly. Oliver was the Arrow and he'd been the one who had started all of this. She was not in charge of it. She just supervised the Foundry operations...and making sure that it was cleaned and that holes in the foundation were repaired. Anyone could have done that. Of course, they probably wouldn't have unless she'd made a list and insisted...but that was another thing.

"I probably wouldn't be too good at CEO…" she finally spoke up.

She kept thinking about Isabel Rochev and how well she seemed to do on the business end of things, obviously she also did well at the whole masked villain thing… The point was, as far as she could tell...Isabel Rochev (even if she was Talia al Ghul) actually went to university. She did all the work to be in business and obviously it showed given her track record within Stellmoor. Felicity's background was not in business. Oliver's wasn't either. How were both of them going to run Queen Consolidated successfully?

She didn't see it happening…

Though…

Felicity realized that between the two of them, she /did/ have the better schooling. She still had all of the cringe worthy grades she'd found online before vividly ingrained in her memory. It was really nightmare worthy grades… At least as far as Felicity was concerned.

"I think you'd be amazing…"

She blushed and bit her bottom lip for a moment as she kept from beaming anymore. She looked down as she shook her head for a moment and then looked back up at him as she felt the blush leaving her cheeks. "Maybe I'll surprise both of us…"

. . .

TBC…


	33. Day of Awkward Things

It was weird for Felicity. She and Oliver had a place of their own now. Second day in their townhouse and it still didn't feel real. Maybe it was because she was so worried that it could be taken away at any moment. It was small, but they really didn't need much. It had two rooms and a bathroom. Oliver had insisted that they get a two room just in case they needed to be separate. So far, that hadn't been the case, but she understood his reasoning. She and Oliver had been thrown together and Merlyn and Moira expected things to progress quickly.

"Thea said that we should have a housewarming party," Felicity told him as she set a cup of coffee on the counter for him.

"Thea likes to throw parties."

Felicity smiled. "I pointed out to her then we'd be throwing a lot of them then… Tommy's still looking and I know Thea and Roy were considering moving."

"I think they were all waiting to see who would give in first and sign a lease," Oliver admitted. "I know that they wanted to be close to you."

"Close to /us/," she corrected.

"Well, we aren't too far from Diggle and Sara, so there's that," Oliver said. "I /would/ prefer it if Roy and Thea were closer… I know that he can keep her safe, but the Glades still isn't the best place to live."

Felicity fidgeted with her dress. It was odd to her. She'd had to dress up and be at a 'Queen standard' since she'd gotten there, but today she was going into Queen Consolidated. They'd pulled her boxes of clothes from storage in the Foundry and it was a bit odd putting them on again. She wasn't going in as Oliver's assistant, but she was fairly sure her attire was good enough...at least for now.

"You look beautiful," he told her as he set his half empty mug down. He reached out and ran his hand down her arm. "Don't worry… You're going to be fantastic…"

"If they find out-"

"You're not going in as my assistant," Oliver reminded. "Walter is going to be there tomorrow. We'll work out all the details before we bring it to them… As much as they want to control our lives, we've already told them that they can't."

Felicity was still nervous though. Moira and Merlyn had made it clear that she needed a 'proper' job. A vocation that they approved of and going back as Oliver's assistant at Queen Consolidated wasn't on their list. They hadn't even brought up the possibility of her working in some capacity as co-CEO of whatever title they came up with...and Oliver had sworn Walter to secrecy… Felicity really wasn't sure if that would work with Walter, but at the same time she knew that he wasn't as close as he had been with Moira.

"Just remember that this isn't my forte."

"I'm fairly sure that you've seen all of my academic records," Oliver reminded with a smile. "Is CEO really in mine?"

Felicity smiled and turned to him. "True."

"You're going to do great!"

"/We're/ going to do great!" she told him with a bright smile. "We're a team, right?"

"Right," he said quietly before leaning in for a quick kiss.

Sometimes living with Oliver was so surreal. She'd fantasized about having a relationship with Oliver in the past, but to be like this… He made her feel so safe and so loved, but sometimes she still worried if it was what was best for him. If she was who was best for him. "I should get my coat so we can go or else we'll be late…"

"It's okay if we're late."

She shook her head as she rinsed her coffee mug. "I don't like to be late, so I guess I'm going to make you a more punctual CEO if we're in this together," she teased as she walked past him.

. . .

Most of the day had already passed at Queen Consolidated, but Felicity didn't feel any more confident about things. It was a lot to dive back into. Oliver had seemed excited and confident in her, but she really didn't know what to think. She just hoped that Walter would help with things. He seemed like he was on their side, so there was that.

"You know...you've done great today," he said quietly.

She looked up from the file on her tablet she'd been looking over. They'd just set up everything in his office, which made things easier. She liked being closer to him even though she /knew/ that she needed to be more independent.

"I've tried not to flail or breakdown at all of the things that I didn't understand," she admitted.

Oliver pushed down her tablet and stared right at her. His eyes were piercing. "You're the most capable person that I know. It's just going to take some getting used to being back. I told you, Walter is going to be more than happy to help with that. You /know/ that."

"I know," she conceded with a sigh.

Felicity just wasn't sure if she could deal with getting attached to being back at Queen Consolidated, to really get into this new job, and then have it ripped away from her. She knew that Oliver wasn't concerned, but that didn't keep her from being worried. It wasn't /him/ that they threatened. Merlyn would take her away, she knew that for sure, in a heartbeat if he didn't feel like her life was going the way it should be. She knew that he meant well and she almost felt like she could control him, but not Moira. She wasn't sure anyone could...though Walter and Merlyn seemed to be able to rein here in here and there.

He reached across the table and took her hand, he squeezed it gently. "I'm right here… We're going to get through this together...and if you don't want to do it, then you don't have to. We'll figure out something else."

"I need /something/," she told him.

Felicity sighed and pulled her hand away. She got up from her chair and pushed her glasses up on the bridge of her nose. Felicity moved towards the window and just let out a breath. She closed her eyes for a moment and just tried to focus. She could hear him move behind her. Felicity was certain that he was worried, but there wasn't any need to really be worried about her, it was more than she was overwhelmed more than anything.

"Hey…" he whispered.

She opened her eyes and turned slightly, reaching out for him to take his hand. "I'm okay," she told him. Felicity sometimes felt like she needed to repeat it a hundred times, so it would sink in. "I just…" She paused and thought about her words for a moment. "It's /a lot/ to take in. I knew it would be. I just… I don't think I was /quite/ prepared for it. It's been a long time." She also suddenly felt old.

"If I'm pushing-"

Felicity started to shake her head and she stared down at their hands entwined. She could feel the thin ring on her finger pressing against his skin. "No… No, you're not." This was hard and yet so right. Them. Felicity honestly didn't think she'd have been able to make it if Oliver hadn't been there…if they hadn't been forced together.

"I know it's been hard for you...to be left out of QC," he whispered. "To come back to things different…"

"I'm...adapting."

"And you're doing /well/ with that," Oliver told her.

"They want me to be perfect… They want me to be someone I'm not," Felicity whispered as tears fell from her eyes and her gaze lifted until their eyes met. "I'm not 'Queen material'," she told him. "I can put on the clothes your mother feels is appropriate and I can attend the parties...but I'm not-"

Oliver cut off her words with a kiss. "You're better… Better than all of us. Better than the Queens and better than the Merlyns…" he whispered.

Felicity was suddenly thankful that Oliver had sent his assistant away after lunch. Even /if/ she knew they were dating, Felicity felt like it would still have been awkward. The truth was, she didn't feel like she was better than any of them...not Oliver, not Thea, and not Tommy… Maybe it was just because she'd been raised by her mother in Las Vegas… Maybe it was because this was a world that she'd been dropped into… Whatever it was, Felicity didn't feel like she'd really ever fit in how Moira Queen expected.

Silence passed between them.

"I got a text earlier…" Felicity spoke up after several minutes of silence. She'd been trying to figure out how to bring up the text.

"From Sara?"

"No."

Sara and Diggle had texted them that they were going to be bringing dinner for everyone later. They're were all going to eat at the Foundry and she had a feeling that that was what Oliver thought she'd gotten a text about. It wasn't. The text she'd received was so far from that…

"Okay," he said slowly.

Felicity looked down at their hands again and then up to him. "From Merlyn…" She paused and then her mouth turned sour as the next words fell from her lips. "From my father."

Oliver just stared at her. "What does he want?" he finally asked, each word ground out.

"I have to see him."

"You're not going alone."

Felicity stared at him. "He's at Merlyn Mansion."

"Then, we'll go together."

. . .

They stood outside of Merlyn Mansion together. It was like they were scared to step into the actual house...and in truth, Felicity was. She was terrified. It wasn't common ground and it certainly wasn't 'their ground'. It was a place that she feared could become her prison. She'd just managed to break out of the Queen Mansion and now she was stepping into this one…

"Felicity?"

"I just need a minute," she whispered as she took it all in.

This could have been my home, she thought to herself. It was a place that Tommy refused to live and that he seemed not to have good memories of...at least not anytime after his mother died. She really couldn't see herself growing up there. It wasn't like she hadn't thought about it, she had… But now, being there, seeing it all… Felicity just couldn't imagine growing up there with Malcolm Merlyn as her father.

"Take all the time you-"

Before Oliver could finish his sentence, the front door was opened. Malcolm Merlyn was standing there with a bright smile on his face. Felicity felt her stomach twist. So far, she didn't have the best experience with Merlyn. Right now, he seemed to favor her but that hadn't always been the case. Actually, it never before had been the case.

"Why are you both just standing out here?" Merlyn asked. He was overly cheery and Felicity didn't know if it was sincere or not. "It's so good to see you both! I didn't know you were coming, Oliver!"

Oliver moved to put his arm around her and it was definitely a comfort. "I think it's better that we go places together," he said evenly. She could tell that Oliver was trying to remain as civil as possible, but Oliver /knew/ what Merlyn had done to her. He wasn't stupid. He knew what Merlyn was capable of. At the same time, they needed to try to keep on his good side, if possible.

"Come in!" Merlyn told them as he stepped back and motioned inside.

Reluctantly, they entered together. Oliver still had his arm around her and Felicity really didn't want him to go too far. "You wanted to see me," Felicity said quietly.

"I wanted to check to see how you were," Merlyn said. "It's been a while since I've talked to you… I know that you moved-"

"How?" Felicity asked before really thinking about the question.

"I'm not about to let anything happen to any of my children," Merlyn told her. "I keep an eye on all of you-"

"Of course you do," Felicity interrupted.

"I want to make sure that you're safe."

"She's safe," Oliver spoke up.

"I do appreciate knowing that she's safe with you, Oliver, but let's face it...there are times when she's not with you," Merlyn told him. "Except today, she was at Queen Consolidated with you all day…"

Felicity just stared at Merlyn, her mouth slightly open. He really was keeping an eye on her. "You can't tell Mrs. Queen," she blurted out. "Please!"

"Relax," Merlyn told her. "Moira doesn't need to know everything… Though, I'll admit… I was curious as to /why/ you were there all day long in Oliver's office. I'm certain that it wasn't just so he could keep an eye on you… He would have done that earlier."

"He's trying to find me a position that everyone would find respectable and proper within Queen Consolidated," Felicity told him. She honestly didn't know how much she could tell him.

"In the CEO's office?"

"It really doesn't involve you," Oliver spoke up.

"It does. She's /my/ daughter," Merlyn told him.

"She's /my/-"

"I'm right here!" Felicity shouted a little too loud and noticed that now they were both looking at her. She knew that Oliver was just being protective, but they were getting a little out of control. Felicity reached down and took Oliver's hand, she squeezed it and looked up at him. They'd become even better at their own form of silent communication.

"I'm sorry," Merlyn said a moment later and he seemed sincere. "I didn't ask you here in order to fight with you…"

"Why /am/ I here?" she asked as she turned her attention back to Merlyn.

"Come with me," he said as he motioned for them to follow him.

Felicity tugged Oliver along and just hoped that there wasn't anything unwelcome coming. She took in the mansion as they walked through it. She was certain that Oliver was familiar with it, since he and Tommy had been lifelong best friends, but it was foreign to her. Felicity still couldn't see herself living in that place. It was like how when you were little and you dreamed of being a princess in a castle…

"Where are we going?" Oliver asked when Merlyn brought them to an elevator.

"Down," Merlyn said. "I asked Felicity here because I was hoping to continue her training… I've converted it into an archery and training area."

"Archery can only go so far," Felicity said and stepped into the elevator, she'd loosened her grip on Oliver's hand...to give him a choice, but he stepped in with her and squeezed her hand. He wasn't going to leave her. She felt obligated to continue this relationship with Merlyn, however odd it was.

"I was /actually/ hoping that you would come by each week for training, Felicity, " Merlyn told her. "Of course, you're more than welcome, Oliver… I was also hoping that perhaps I could convince you two, if not my other children as well, to come over for dinner each week."

"I don't know how Thea would feel about that," Oliver replied honestly.

Thea or Tommy, Felicity thought. They all really had pretty much said that they didn't want anything more to do with him than they /had/ to. If it were only that easy, then Felicity would be right there with them. She, however, was really the one that both Merlyn and Moira were trying to control the most.

When the elevator opened, they walked down a hallway and entered a room. She wondered if it was the space that Oliver had once been in. Last year, there had been a break in at Merlyn Mansion. Bronze Tiger had broken in with others and had gotten away with a prototype of the earthquake device. It had been transformed into a very expansive space in order for her to practice with her bow as well as a training area.

"You really /are/ concerned for her safety," Oliver said slowly and quietly.

Felicity watched Oliver and then turned to see Merlyn's response. Oliver almost seemed surprised and she knew that Oliver knew him better than she did. Oliver and his family had known the Merlyns all his life and perhaps before that. But they were all still trying to figure things out with Merlyn and he really wasn't a stable person.

"I am," Merlyn responded.

"I don't feel comfortable with you just training her," Oliver told him matter of factly.

"I would actually prefer if you were here, Oliver," Merlyn told him.

"And Felicity would prefer it if people would remember that she's right here," Felicity told them and all eyes were on her again. "What? You're talking about me like I'm not here...or property…"

She watched as they both seemed to figure out what to say next. She knew that neither of them had meant either of the things that she'd said, but she'd felt the need to voice her opinion just the same. Felicity was really trying to show people that she could stand up for herself and that she could speak on her behalf. At least she was attempting to do so.

"I ordered you a better bow," Merlyn told her. "And I have a couple of extras, Oliver...so you can pick whichever one suits you best. I've noticed that you're not using the same one as you used before."

"You broke it," Oliver said through gritted teeth.

Felicity moved away from them. It was already tense, but now it was starting to lean towards stressful again. She was really trying to stay away from stress when she could...she was a worrier by nature, but she swore that after everything that she was developing a form of anxiety and she didn't like it. She looked over the bows and then picked one up. She wasn't exactly dressed for this, but Felicity was starting to think that it might be a good release.

Stepping out of her heels, Felicity grabbed the quiver full of arrows from the nearby table and slung it on before heading towards the targets. She didn't look back to check on Oliver or Merlyn. She figured that as long as they didn't sound like they were killing each other then it was okay. Felicity drew in a breath, placed the arrow on the string and pulled back, she aimed, let the breath go, and then released her arrow. She didn't move as she watched it fly towards the target.

"Beautifully done," Merlyn complimented.

"Most targets don't stand still," Oliver reminded him. "And it's only handy if they're not at a close range…"

Felicity knew Oliver was right. She'd practiced walking and shooting before, but never hand to hand, not with the bow. She took in a breath and turned to them. "That's what I need to learn… If I can't shoot at range… I have to know how to defend myself."

"You have us," Merlyn told her.

"I need to know," Felicity said and looked to Oliver. "I have a choice in this...in /my/ life."

"It's not going to be easy," Oliver told her.

"I can handle it."

"I know you can," he replied evenly. "Though, we're really not dressed for training."

"But we could go over some basic things," Merlyn said. "How to stand. How to-"

"Maybe Sara would be better to teach me," Felicity blurted out and then saw the looks that they gave her. "Just saying...because...you know...we're both about the same size...and...we're both girls…" she said slowly and a bit drawn out. "Okay then...back to shooting things… Let's talk about hand to hand a different day, when I have workout clothes on and my hair's actually up." She'd obviously picked the wrong day to go to work with her hair down.

"Wearing your contacts might also help," Merlyn told her.

Felicity made a face and then turned back to the targets. She'd missed her glasses, she'd been so happy to have them back. Technically, the contacts were better...but there was something about her glasses...they were just 'her'. She really didn't want to wear her contacts all the time, though she could understand why wearing them while backing up Oliver would be a good thing. But right now, they were just training.

So, she concentrated on her target.

After a couple of minutes, she noticed that both Oliver and Merlyn had taken up bows and were spreading out, so they had even distance between them, and they were readying to practice with her. It was nice because really this was something that required very little communication on all of their parts. Felicity knew she could probably use some pointers with her archery, but for the most part...she felt confident. That was what really mattered to her right now.

. . .

TBC…


	34. Family Matters

"I didn't think it was going to be so hard…"

"Well, we lost about two or three days because Felicity made me help with the Foundry," Roy grumbled.

They'd been trying to get Verdant back to the point where Thea could run it. That was a lot harder than she'd originally thought. It wasn't as easy as give the place a good cleaning, stock the shelves, hire new employees, and open the doors. It was like opening a brand new place, it had been so much easier when she'd just taken over Verdant when Oliver had 'gone off to Europe' after Tommy had died.

"Next time, don't break it," Thea scolded.

She knew that Roy hadn't been too pleased about helping with the Foundry, but she was glad that he'd done it just the same. He needed to do it because it was just the right thing to do, but also...they both needed the space. She'd noticed that Roy had almost become clingy since their return to Starling City. At first, she'd just thought he was being a little protective...but now they were living at Roy's place and they were either there or at Verdant. There was no imminent threat.

Thea understood why he was worrying, but she didn't plan on going anywhere with Malcolm Merlyn ever again. Though, she felt like she'd become a little paranoid, she didn't know if it was just because of what had happened or the fact that Roy seemed to be constantly hovering. She just needed some breathing space and she thought that maybe learning how to defend herself even in a small bit wasn't an absolutely horrible idea.

Thea watched Roy from behind the counter as he was rearranging some chairs. She wondered if this was how Tommy and Felicity felt. She felt like they probably almost had it worse. Tommy seemed more isolated than she or Felicity, but Felicity seemed to have so much more heaped onto her shoulders. Thea didn't know how she'd gotten away so lucky. Maybe it was her advantage to being the youngest…

"I was thinking… Have you thought about moving?" Thea spoke up.

Roy looked up. "What? Really? I thought you'd just said that to appease the others…"

"No," Thea said firmly. "I think it might be a really good idea."

"Okay…"

"It's not like there's anything wrong with your place," Thea told him. Really, it was not what she'd been used to growing up but she'd grown fond of it. "It's just-"

"You want to be closer to them," Roy finished and seemed incredibly sad.

Thea tilted her head. "Is that so horrible?"

"No."

"Then, why the face?" she questioned.

Roy shrugged.

"Roy Harper…"

"What?"

"Tell me," she pushed as she leaned forward over the bar. She knew that something was going through his mind and she wanted to know what it was.

"I just think that maybe I'm not good enough…"

"What?"

"For a while… It was just the two of us-"

"But before everything went to hell in a handbasket, I used to spend more time with my family… I know you're not close with yours, but-"

"I get it. I get it."

"I thought you wouldn't mind since you're part of Ollie's 'team'."

"I'm like the black sheep."

"With a red hood," Thea teased.

Roy rolled his eyes. "He's been too busy for me lately."

"And you've been too busy with me," Thea pointed out. She shrugged. "He's been going through a lot. Everything with my mom and Merlyn… Tommy coming back from the dead… Finding me and Felicity… Being forced into a relationship with Felicity, though let's face it...the building bricks were already there. Going back to Queen Consolidated… It's all a lot…"

"I guess you're right."

"Maybe you should work at Queen Consolidated," Thea said, half serious. "I'm sure my brother could find you a job."

"No, that's okay…"

Thea smiled. "So… You don't mind moving?"

"If it's something you really want, then we'll do it," Roy told her. "Just nothing /too/ fancy…"

"Have you seen Ollie and Felicity's place? /Not/ fancy at all! Just has the basic stuff…" Thea sighed, "I tried to tell her that we /had/ to have a house warming party, but she shot down the idea…"

"Why?"

"Because then you and I would eventually have to have one and Tommy…"

Roy shrugged. "Do we really mind having /that/ many parties."

"I don't."

"So, let's do it."

"But Felicity-"

"When has that ever stopped you?" Roy asked and obviously seemed confused.

Thea smiled a little in response as she thought about it. "Well, we could have a /small/ party…"

"Exactly…"

"If I get yelled at, I'm totally blaming you."

Roy smirked. "Like anyone would believe that."

Thea just rolled her eyes. She had some parties to plan and an apartment to hunt.

. . .

Tommy's apartment was small and simple, but perfect for him. She'd noticed that he'd seemed a little lonely and she wasn't sure if it was because he really didn't see everyone or if it was because of the news about Laurel. She had texted Felicity the night before, though, and they had decided on surprising Tommy with breakfast before he needed to be at Merlyn Global. Lucky for her, Felicity seemed to know everyone else's schedule.

"I feel like I should learn how to cook," Tommy said as they sat at the counter watching Felicity. "I can't even make coffee correctly," he commented as he munched on a piece of toast.

"Maybe you just need lessons...and one of those coffeemakers where you just pop a pod into it…" Felicity suggested as she looked up from the eggs that she was cooking. They'd brought over eggs, bacon, and toast. Felicity had insisted that they cover all their bases. Thea had stopped and picked up giant cups of coffee for all three of them.

"So… I've heard an interesting rumor," Tommy spoke up.

"Oh? What about?" Thea asked. Her curiosity was definitely piqued. She looked at Tommy. Gossip was something that she'd missed.

"About Queen Consolidated and the state of the CEO position," Tommy said and they both turned to Felicity, who was now plating the eggs and bacon.

"Oliver's the CEO," Felicity said, but didn't look at either of them.

"Is he?"

"Of course he is," Felicity responded as she set the plates in front of them. "Why wouldn't he be?"

"I heard that there might be a new queen taking the throne, so to say…"

"What?" Thea blurted out. "And you didn't tell /us/?"

"Think about what Moira's going to say," Tommy said to Thea.

Thea's mouth hung open as she looked from Tommy to Felicity. "My mom is going to /flip/ out! She really didn't want you...well, doing /anything/, which I was thinking might be a tactic to just make you miserable."

Felicity just stared at them. "I'm not going to be CEO."

"Then why are there rumors?" Thea questioned. As she watched Felicity, she knew that there was /something/ that she wasn't telling them. "I thought that we made some kind of pact about not keeping secrets from one another?"

Felicity sighed. "We still haven't figured it out yet."

"But are the rumors true?" Tommy asked.

Thea shoveled a forkful of eggs into her mouth. Chewed, swallowed, and then got her question out. "And when are you going to tell Mom?"

"Oliver and I /have/ been talking about me taking on a senior position with the company. We'd discussed something like both being CEO. We have to talk to Walter more about it-"

Thea squeaked. "Oh my God! Walter knows?! Before my mom?!" She was dying. Oliver was going to be in so much trouble...and Felicity… And she realized now she was sort of delighted to see it all play out as far as her mother went, but also worried for both of her siblings...which was weird because they were dating…

Felicity looked like she was going to fold under the pressure. She just poked at her eggs, but hadn't eaten any yet. "Oliver thought that it was best that we figure out everything before we said anything."

"I think it's a good idea," Tommy chimed in.

"So do I, but seriously...that's a dinner conversation I want to see," Thea told them. She noticed that her sister still seemed nervous. She reached out and touched her arm. "Don't worry about it. The /key/ is the invite /Walter/ to dinner the night that you're going to tell her. He'll smooth it over…"

"Well, if it makes you feel any better. I feel like I'm failing as CEO of Merlyn Global," Tommy spoke up.

"You're not," Felicity countered. "I've seen the numbers."

"I go to work everyday and feel like it's just another prison."

Thea frowned. "It does sort of feel like we're still in prison, doesn't it?" She sighed. "And Roy's always hovering… I almost wonder if it kills him more than it does me."

"Oliver's the same way, but I know that there's comfort when we're both together...or when I'm with Sara or Diggle," Felicity said. "But living in our own place is the first time where I don't feel completely like a prisoner…"

"It's not fair," Tommy voiced.

"Maybe Merlyn Global and Queen Consolidated should merge," Thea put out there. "Then all three of you could work together."

It sounded good in her head, but it probably wasn't as great on paper. Also, there was the whole part where they'd have to figure out how to convince both her mother and Merlyn that it was a good idea. There was no way that those two wouldn't have a say in it. Thea felt like they all just really needed a chance to really live. They weren't doing that right now.

. . .

"What's going on here?"

"I called a meeting," Thea declared. She'd even dressed appropriately. She was fairly sure that Walter knew something was going on because he'd commented on her attire upon arrival. Her mother had probably realized that something was going on when she called for someone to get the door and realized that the house staff had been dismissed. At least Walter wasn't above getting the door.

She and her mother followed Walter and obviously both her mother and Walter were surprised to see Merlyn on the other side. "Come in," Thea said as she moved to Walter's side.

"I didn't realize that our little secret had spread…" Merlyn said as he eyed Walter.

Thea reached out and touched Walter's shoulder. "He's /family/… We can /trust/ him."

She watched as all three of them seemed to be eyeing each other as Thea closed the door. Maybe this was a bad idea, she started to ponder as she watched them. Her mother and Merlyn were definitely the wild cards in the room, leaving Walter as the only reliable one. Thea knew that she could count on Walter to be level headed and to be reasonable. She knew that he could steady her mother, but she had no idea how he'd do up against Merlyn.

"I asked you all here because I'm worried about Felicity and Tommy," she told them.

They could stand there in the foyer if that was what worked, but she thought it would be more preferable for them to be in the sitting room or somewhere where they could sit and possibly have a drink. In truth, Thea wasn't sure if them having a drink was a good thing, but she had hopes that it might relax and loosen them up. They needed to bring down their defences just a bit…just enough to talk and be reasonable.

"Why am I here then?" Moira asked her.

Thea just stared at her. "I figured it involved you."

"/You/ are /my/ daughter," Moira told her as she reached out and touched Thea's shoulder. "You know I love Tommy, but I'm not his mother...and Felicity-"

"You're not the biggest fan of, I think we're all well aware of that," Thea finished with irritation. She really didn't like the fact that her mother was so unwavering where Felicity was concerned. She'd pretend to be accepting and then she'd turn around and decide that disliking Felicity was a better plan. "But she's /my/ sister… I love her. I care about her. Tommy's /my/ brother. I love him. I care about him. They're both linked to Oliver and I know that you're not jumping with joy, but Felicity /will/ be Mrs. Oliver Queen...in what? How many months did you all decide?"

"You're forcing their relationship?" Walter questioned.

Okay, so maybe Walter didn't know everything. Thea frowned a bit. She felt bad suddenly. It was hard to lay everything out to him. "They placed a time limit on how long they have to wait until they're engaged and married…"

"It's not exactly /forced/," Merlyn spoke up. "It's obvious that they both care about each other...we just forced them to admit it."

Moira sighed with disgust. "This is ridiculous!"

"No!" Thea snapped as she stopped her foot and moved away from her mother and towards Merlyn and Walter. "/You're/ ridiculous! You don't even /see/ it! You don't even see that Felicity isn't the only one that's miserable! She's not the only one who feels like she's still a prisoner! Tommy and I feel the same way!"

"You're not a prisoner," Moira said slowly. "You're not held under this roof-"

"It doesn't matter! I'm being watched, aren't I?" Thea asked as she looked between them all.

"It's security, Thea-"

"No!" Thea screamed. "I want to feel /safe/! Why is that so crazy? That's all we all want! To feel safe and feel like we have /some/ control over our futures…"

"I know what you think I've made Oliver and Felicity agree to is horrible and backwards, Thea," Merlyn spoke up. His voice was even and quiet. He seemed calm and thoughtful. "I'm not doing any of it to be cruel… I actually saw them both yesterday… I've invited both you and Tommy-"

"I would /like/ to think that I can trust you," Thea said as she turned her attention to Merlyn now. "But I think you can understand that it's hard for me to trust...to trust you...to trust a parent." She looked between Merlyn and her mother.

"That's why Walter is here, isn't he?" Merlyn asked with a sudden bright smile. He turned to Walter. "You're our buffer. The voice of reason."

Walter was quiet and so was everyone else. He seemed to be thinking over his words before he finally spoke them. "I think what we have to really think here is what Thea's stated as a concern. She's worried about her brother and sister." His British accent was always lovely for Thea to hear and she suddenly remembered on the island...how she and Felicity had talked about how beautiful his voice would be on an audiobook recording. "And quite honestly, I'm worried about all three of them."

Thea was impressed. She knew that she shouldn't be so impressed with Walter because she knew him, but somehow...she still was. Thea was also happy that she'd thought to invite him there and was happy that he hadn't turned around and walk right out the door when Merlyn had showed up.

He motioned towards the sitting room. "Why don't we sit down?"

"I don't-" Moira started to argue.

"You love Oliver /and/ Thea, Moira," Walter interrupted. "I know that all too well… You would do anything for your children, wouldn't you?"

"Yes, but-"

"Then, let's just sit down and talk things over…"

Thea watched in a moment of shock as her mother finally started to walk to the sitting room, Walter took her arm and wrapped it into his and walked her the rest of the way. Merlyn turned to her and was still smiling. "What?" she asked quietly.

"I'm just proud of you," Merlyn told her.

"I don't understand."

"I'm so glad that you and Felicity and Tommy have been able to connect," Merlyn explained. "And I'm so glad that even with everything you've been through...all the lies...everything...that you're still trying to make this family work."

"I'm pretty good at dysfunctional."

"You're no where near dysfunctional, Thea," Merlyn told her. He reached out and touched both of her shoulders as he stared at her. "And I want you to know. I /don't/ want you to be miserable… I /don't/ want you to feel like a prisoner… I want you to feel free and be happy... I want you to /know/ that I will be here for you…" He was quieter. "And I'll always be here, even if you choose not to have a relationship with me. I need you to know that."

"Can you promise me something?"

"Anything."

"Don't take Walter away from this family," Thea whispered.

She'd had Robert Queen, the man she'd known and loved as her father all her life taken away when the Queen's Gambit went down. That had been something that had been a countermeasure taken by Malcolm Merlyn in order to make sure that his Undertaking project went through. He'd also had Walter Steele, the stepfather that she'd come to love dearly, kidnapped and she'd feared he was dead. She couldn't handle having him taken away… She couldn't handle losing someone she loved again.

"I promise."

. . .

TBC…


	35. Flashbacks

"This has to be easier-"

"We need Walter-"

"We don't need any parents finding out either," Tommy reminded them.

"We've been at this for an hour," she updated them as she settled down into a chair.

For the past three hours they'd been in a closed meeting in order to try to figure out the Queen Consolidated merger with Merlyn Global. IN order to keep things quiet, she'd researched mergers. They didn't think they could trust anyone at either company to keep quiet.

"And we don't seem any closer than we were when we started," Oliver said with a frustrated sigh. He raked his hand through his hair and turned to walk away from the table.

"We need an expert," Tommy spoke up.

Felicity bit her lip as she looked between the two of them. This was frustrating for all of them, but what it came down to was that none of them really knew anything about big business mergers. What they needed was an expert, not a Google search.

"We can /trust/ Walter, Oliver," Felicity said after a moment. "Especially because we've decided to do this. We just need to know what steps to take, so it's not like we need advice with pros and cons. We know for the most part what those will be." Or so she assumed. The big pro was that they'd get to all work together. It was in a small way a win for them. Felicity was certain that this wasn't something Merlyn or Mrs. Queen would expect from them.

Oliver let out another sigh. He turned back to them. "I know. I guess I sort of wanted to keep him out of this."

"Because of your mother?" Felicity questioned. "Or because of Merlyn? Or because you didn't want any help with this?"

"Yes."

Felicity beamed. "I think he's proven time and time again that we can trust him /and/ that he can stand up against your mother and Merlyn."

Tommy straightened. "We really should try to sort this out ASAP. It's going to look suspicious with me here for so long and behind closed doors."

"Maybe he can come over for a working lunch," Felicity suggested.

"He /does/ have a job at Starling National Bank."

"But we're family," Oliver spoke up. "And you do whatever you can for family."

. . .

The nice thing about their group was that help was only a text message away. Outside of the Foundry, Queen Consolidated, and Merlyn Global the group had been slowly working on Verdant in order to reopen the doors. There really weren't a lot of work needed for the club itself, but that didn't stop them from spiffying it up a bit.

They each had their own element to lend, even Oliver found a moment to run an errand or hang something. In the evenings, Tommy would arrive and help Thea out with hiring new staff. Diggle and Sara were spreading the word all around the Glades and Starling City by word of mouth and with grand reopening posters and flyers. While Felicity set up a website and did all the paperwork. Even Thea had her own special thing, Felicity liked to think of her as the queen of social media.

"How is everything coming along?"

Felicity smiled and looked up from the small desk up in the supply room. Technically she could do this all in the Foundry, but it was nice being up there. She wasn't quite sure why. "Most of the paperwork is done," Felicity explained. "The really important stuff anyways. I'm just trying to compile an actual list of vendors. Some of the old ones wouldn't take us back for some reason, but I found replacements."

"That's odd," Tommy said. "Money is normally money."

Felicity shrugged. "I decided not to worry about it. After all, maybe they just have too many accounts." She paused for a moment. "The website is up and now I'm just doing boring accounting stuff."

Tommy made a face. "Sounds painful."

She smiled. "It's really not all /that/ horrible."

"You've been working on numbers and legal speak all day to try to perfect the merger," Tommy told her. "I don't know how your brain isn't mush right now." Tommy leaned up against a nearby wall. "You're going to make the rest of us look bad."

Felicity shook her head with a smile. "This is nothing compared to the merger paperwork," she explained. "It's almost calming."

Tommy let out a chuckle. "You're really the family geek, aren't you?"

"I went to MIT."

"So, that's basically admitting that I'm right," Tommy told her with a grin.

Felicity shook her head. "I'm going to demote you as my favorite brother-"

"I'm your /only/ brother." He paused. "And there's nothing wrong with being the smartest, sanest, and most likely the most normal sibling." Tommy paused again. "Though /our/ sister, Thea, has /two/ brothers...me and Oliver… It's still sort of weird that you two-"

Felicity sighed. "Demoted!"

"Who's going to be your favorite brother then?"

"Diggle."

"I suppose that given Roy and Diggle are really your only logical choices that I'd probably pick Diggle too."

"John is a /really/ good man," she told him.

"He's the kind of man that you deserve, Felicity," Tommy told her.

"If this is going to be some kind of lecture about how Oliver and I shouldn't be together, then I'm going to go down to the Foundry /and/ I'll make sure Thea knows that it's /your/ fault that I didn't finish everything." It wasn't a threat and it wasn't said in anger. Her tone had been level and calm.

Felicity knew that there were reasons why she and Oliver shouldn't be together. Oliver would be the first person to list those reasons. The thing was...she loved him...and she also didn't want to be back on that boat and at Merlyn's mercy. She thought that Tommy understood the latter. Thought that he understood her.

"I'm sorry," Tommy told her. Felicity could tell that he was sincere. "I just- You really are the most normal one...and you deserve a more normal life."

"I don't /want/ a normal life."

"Why not?"

"Because of how my life is… What I do for Oliver… It helps people," Felicity tried to explain in bursts. "It's far more rewarding than just being an IT girl." She paused. "It'll go through whatever I need to in order to continue the life I want to lead.../and/ to stay with Oliver."

. . .

She huffed as she stared at the ceiling above her. It seemed like the tenth time since she'd been knocked down. She didn't know if she'd ever be able to get to the point where she didn't end up on the floor when sparring against Oliver and Merlyn. She knew that she was getting better, but every time she hit the floor, it felt like she'd never get better.

"I feel like we should be timing how long it takes between when we start and when I hit the floor," Felicity said from the floor. She took Oliver's offered hand and then he was hauling her to her feet.

"You don't need to be stressing over seconds," Merlyn gave his two cents.

"He's right," Oliver spoke up. "In a real fight, it's not going to be about time...it's going to be about how you can handle yourself. It's going to be how you think on your feet and how creative you get when you need to."

He paused. "That's really what's important."

"Let's try it with the bow now," Merlyn told her. "You and me."

Felicity stared at him for a moment. Every time that they sparred, Oliver was always the one who really attacked and knocked her down. Oliver was always the primary attacker while Merlyn mainly tried to keep her eyes open and to be ever aware.

"Isn't it time to go?" she asked.

"We normally stay for about twenty more minutes," Oliver told her.

"I can always train for twenty minutes back at the Foundry with Sara."

Merlyn moved towards her. "Are you really so worried about me?"

Felicity shook her head before she could get the words out. "No! No, it's just that-" She couldn't think of a good excuse.

Damn it.

"Felicity, I understand if facing me directly is frightening," Merlyn told her.

Oliver was staring at her and seemed concerned...and then worry covered his face. "If there's something-"

"/Really/," she said as she looked between the two of them. "I'm /fine/."

"Well, maybe another time would be better," Merlyn said as he moved a short distance to set down his bow.

She wanted to be happy about that, but she couldn't be. Felicity closed her eyes for just a moment as she sucked in air and then slowly let it out. She opened her eyes and took a step back in order to ready herself. "Let's try it once now," Felicity told him. She started to figure out what position she wanted to start in with her bow in hand.

"You ready?" Merlyn asked once he was in position.

Felicity nodded once, she'd chosen her stance and was now ready. One thing that she'd learned from watching Merlyn was that he was patient when he wanted to be. He didn't move first. She ended up having to because she'd been unable to hold still. Maybe it was nerves. She didn't know, but she had to move.

"It's hard to keep still," Merlyn commented quietly after a moment.

She didn't know if he was saying it aloud as simply an observation or if he was trying to psych her out. Both were possible. Felicity wanted to look to Oliver, but she knew that she'd be called out by Merlyn if she did that. She knew that she could handle this, maybe not be the last one standing, but definitely handle herself for a little bit. If she could manage this brief sparring session this one time, then she figured that she wouldn't have to ever do it in the future again. Or at least, that's what she was hoping for.

He finally started to move and Felicity felt a breath of relief hit her. She tried to remember everything she'd been taught and everything she really needed to keep in mind when facing an opponent. There was /a lot/ to remember.

Merlyn moved closer to her and she felt threatened and moved in to make the first strike. She knew that he was purposely playing with 'kid gloves' with her. If he had been sparring with Oliver, they'd already be attacking each other like crazy. She knew that. Felicity was sort of irked by that thought, but at the same time was thankful. This was stressful enough.

"She's not going to learn how to protect herself if you hold back that much," Oliver spoke up.

Crap.

She needed to talk to Oliver about keeping his mouth shut when it came to their sessions with Merlyn. Felicity knew that he meant well, but she'd rather spar full out with Diggle or Sara or Oliver or really just anyone else.

They both had frozen in spot and Merlyn was staring at Oliver. Felicity wondered if he was considering what Oliver had said or if he was weighing what to say. Finally, he opened his mouth and spoke to Oliver. "She's not ready for that."

Felicity knew that she had to be.

"She's stronger than you know," Oliver said and Felicity met his gaze.

"Then let's try this again," Merlyn said.

When Felicity turned her attention back to him, he was already moving towards her, his bow up and ready to strike. She held her bow with both hands and tried to block the strike. Felicity let out a cry and in her peripheral she'd seen Oliver move for a slight second, like he was going to come to her side. She had a feeling that this was hard for him to watch even if it was just practice. Felicity had been startled was all and now she felt her heart race as she tried her best to keep upright and off of the ground.

She didn't know how long they'd been going, but it felt like a victory. Felicity was sure that she was going to have dozens of extra bruises that she normally wouldn't have, but she'd stayed up and for the most part was sure that she was holding her own even though she was certain that he wasn't coming at her with one hundred percent of his actual abilities. Suddenly, she found herself on the floor with Merlyn hovering over her. Her mind went back to the boat and she couldn't stop herself from panicking.

Felicity tried to remind herself that he'd changed, at least for the moment, but her brain kept flashing back to when he'd go after her on the boat and how she'd end up in that room… Merlyn had his bow and seemed to be making a point that he had 'won' as he came down over her, but Felicity rolled out of the way and moved with her back towards the wall towards the nearest corner. "Please!" she screamed and a sob rolled up to her lips. It was then, as her back hit the wall, that she realized that tears had fallen from her eyes. "Stop!" she screamed and held her hands out.

The looks on their faces made her feel even worse than she'd already felt about panicking and basically freaking out. They'd both dropped their bows at one point or another as they'd slowly approached her. Merlyn had only taken a couple of steps towards her, while Oliver had closed the distance in a few steps. He kneeled down next to her and his fingers ran through the hair in her ponytail as he kissed her forehead.

"It's okay," he whispered. "You're safe."

"I'm-I'm sorry," she blurted out. She was still staring at Merlyn and it was especially hard since she'd felt like she'd made so much progress since they'd been back, but now...now she felt like she'd been fooling herself (and everyone else) this whole time. Felicity allowed another sob as she reached up and wiped away the tears. She reached out and placed her hand on Oliver's chest, not really pushing him away, just making sure that he minded his distance from her even if he was close. Felicity managed to get herself to her feet and looked between Oliver and Merlyn, who looked so concerned and almost heart-broken that it hurt her soul. "I just-I need some air," she tried to get out as calmly as possible.

They didn't move and they didn't try to stop her as she hurried towards the nearest exit. She just wanted to breathe and to cry by herself for a minute. She needed that break down, even if it was only for a moment. As she made it to the elevator, she heard Oliver speak to Merlyn.

"We pushed her. Too far and too fast."

. . .

The night had been awkward and filled with silence. She was certain that Oliver wasn't trying to push things, but everyone else had noticed. Everyone else had asked if she...if /they/ were okay… She'd brushed off their concerns and had focused on making it through the night and until they could get home. But by the time they'd gotten home, she'd just gone in to shower by herself. Felicity felt stupid because she'd freaked out in the shower without him there. She'd made it through, but she'd cried and kept flashing back to Merlyn on that boat. It was why she'd gotten Oliver in the habit of playing music when they showered together. So, she had easily had it mask her own shower and just hoped he hadn't been right outside the door with his ear pressed to it.

He hadn't pushed her to talk at all and she didn't know how she felt about that. She honestly had mixed feelings and she just wanted to go to bed. Felicity had figured that they could talk in the morning over coffee and before they went into work. All she needed was to hear some kind of lecture about Tommy…

So, she'd fallen asleep with Oliver still awake.

. . .

When she woke up, it was still dark and though she felt wide awake, her bedside clock read three in the morning. Felicity sighed. She hated when that happened. She'd only slept a couple of hours, but apparently her body felt like that was more than enough. She obviously needed to talk to her body about that.

The light on Oliver's side of the bed was on and so she was slow as she moved in the bed. She knew that even if he wasn't awake, that he'd likely feel her movements. Felicity sat up and when he didn't say anything, she turned to see that he'd fallen asleep in bed sitting up. He didn't normally do that. Getting to her feet, she walked to the other side of the bed. She was about to turn off the light when she noticed why he'd fallen asleep sitting up in bed.

He'd been reading.

Reading the letters.

There was still a letter in his hand and as she stared down at it, she didn't need to know what it exactly said to know that she had been terribly upset at the time. Words were smudged and some were tear-stained. She wondered if he felt like he really needed to know everything that had happened and to read it all for himself. She'd given him the cliff notes version and he'd read one of the letters before, but maybe after her incident at the mansion that he really needed to know everything.

He did need to know everything.

Felicity knew that.

It was still hard for her to come to terms with.

With a sigh, she slowly pulled the paper from his hand. She folded it and set it back into the box with the others on his bedside table. As she closed the lid on the box, she heard him stir. Felicity turned to see him looking as her as her hand hovered over the lamp's switch. "I didn't mean to wake you," she said quietly.

"You didn't," he lied.

She smiled a little. "I'm not as quiet as you are." He could sneak up on her and scare her by complete accident...all of the time. It was habit with him. He was just used to being quiet, his life depended on it...and still did when he was the Arrow.

"Are you mad at me?"

Felicity could tell that he was honestly concerned and that it seemed like he almost seemed guilty of something. With another quiet sigh, she sat down on the edge of the bed next to him. She positioned herself so that she was looking at him. They really shouldn't have gone so long without talking, she knew, but she had just needed space. "Absolutely not," she whispered honestly. "I thought that I was okay...or at least better with what had happened…"

"He did horrible things to you, Felicity."

"He's not stable."

"You're defending him," Oliver pointed out.

"I know," she said sort of sadly. "But like it or not, he's my father...and even after all of the horrible things he's done...he's trying...and he really does need help, Oliver. Him being technically dead doesn't help with that."

"I understand what you're saying," he said quietly.

Felicity nodded and leaned in to kiss his lips quickly. He wrapped his arms around her and she didn't pull away, instead she scooted closer before wrapping her arms around him as well. Her head rested on his shoulder and she savored their closeness. "Did it help? To read the letters?"

"I don't know yet," he told her honestly.

She kissed his cheek before settling her head back on his shoulder. "I'm sorry I was so quiet."

"I didn't want to push-"

"You weren't pushing… I was just mad at myself," she explained as she pulled back to look at him, face to face. "I didn't think I'd react that way. He makes me uneasy still, but I /knew/ you were right there. I /know/ you wouldn't let him hurt me. I /know/ all of that. I just-I flashed back," she admitted.

"And then you came home and showered without me."

Felicity stared at him and didn't even need to ask the question. The answer was written all over his face. He'd been outside of the door while she'd been showering. The music hadn't shielded the sound of her cries enough.

"You know I'm here for you."

"I don't want you to feel like I'm this weak person, Oliver-"

"I would /never/ think that."

"You read the letters-"

"And do you believe that I ever /once/ have thought of you as weak when I read those letters?" Oliver asked. Without skipping a beat, he continued. "I haven't. I have only thought of you as brave and strong. You have strength inside of you, Felicity, that sometimes I don't think /you/ even know is there… Never doubt yourself because I don't doubt you…"

She stared at him for a long moment.

"For someone who always seemed so blind before, how is it that you always know exactly what to say now?" she asked. She'd been thinking back to the Oliver who had always been snapping at her or had been jealous of her relationship with Barry Allen. This Oliver was such a different person...they were both so different.

"You're a good teacher."

Felicity smiled brightly before leaning in to kiss him again. When she finally separated, she grabbed his hand and squeezed it for a moment. "I'm hungry," she complained a bit sheepishly after a beat.

He laughed. "So am I."

"I don't think we really ate dinner."

"You were too upset."

"And you were too worried," she finished.

Oliver nodded and pushed the covers back. "I'm sure we can figure something out."

"I'm really not tired, either."

He grinned even more now. "After dinner, I'm sure I can think of something to wind you down…"

Felicity blushed and shook her head before getting up and heading away from him. She could feel the heat in her cheeks and she knew that he liked to make her blush, but she didn't like to give him the satisfaction of seeing her blush so much. He came up behind her, took her hand, and then led her out of the bedroom.

. . .

TBC…


	36. The Past Is Another Land

The CEO's office at Merlyn Global hadn't changed since the last time Tommy had seen it. There had been a time where the board had appointed a CEO, but as soon as he appeared alive and capable, the reins were handed over to him. Tommy thought that was a big mistake, but his father was good at placing plans in writing and having them legalized ahead of time. Like Robert Queen, his father, had always hoped that his son would take up his mantle as CEO of his company. There was a time that Tommy Merlyn would have loved the gaudy office, but now it was like stepping into a jail cell.

Tommy knew what his father's legacy was. It certainly wasn't him, even though he was certain that his father was trying to push that now. Everyone else knew Malcolm Merlyn was a murderer and someone who tried to destroy the Glades and pretty much succeeded. Tommy knew that the world would never know the other sides his father had played in his life, the darker and the rare lighter ones. In history, you were always remembered for either your greatest or darkest moments. For his father, it was definitely the more mass-wide darkest moment.

He hated being CEO of Merlyn Global, which was probably why the merger was so appealing to him. They had to wait, though, and Tommy was finding that hard. He hated his job, he felt isolated for the majority of the day, and he was fairly sure that he was depressed. Tommy would go to Verdant or down to the Foundry and watch the others and they'd all seem so much happier than he was. He'd always thought that Felicity had been dealt the harder hand, but she had Oliver...he didn't have a constant companion.

Motivations behind him becoming CEO of the company had been clear that his father had wanted the company to stay in the family, but was it something more? Everyday Tommy wondered if it was a way for his father to try to mold him into someone else...someone his father could be proud of...someone who looked more like Malcolm Merlyn. He wasn't his father and he never would be. He'd kill himself if he ever looked in the mirror and his father was looking back at him. He wouldn't bring horrors on this world. He wouldn't allow it.

Merlyn Global was up on stock points and the board hadn't been proven wrong about him taking over. So, in reality he was successful as the CEO and he knew that on paper, but deep down inside he felt like he'd failed. Maybe it was because he hated the job or maybe it was because with success came a price… He and his father had really never had a relationship past his mother's death, but Robert Queen had always made balancing everything so easy. Maybe it was because of Moira or maybe it was because he was just a better man. Well, Tommy was fairly sure that it was most likely that it was both things because he knew that Robert Queen /was/ a better man than Malcolm Merlyn. Robert Queen would have never hurt his children…

"If only changing your last name was easy," he mumbled as he angrily typed on his keyboard and stared at the computer screen in front of him.

"I hear Smoak is going to be available."

He jumped at her quiet voice, but couldn't help but smile in response. "Geez! You're taking too many lessons from Oliver!"

"Sorry."

"I didn't expect you-"

"I can go-"

"No!"

Felicity smiled. "You okay?"

"I don't know," he told her honestly. He knew that he should be happier in life. As much as he'd been through, he was truly blessed with this family that he'd never had before...and he'd been given a second chance on life. Felicity and Thea as his sisters had been an amazing thing and when he'd first found out, he had never imagined that they'd be so close. It had also given him a second chance to make things right with Oliver...and even to get a glimpse into a world that he never knew he'd find so interesting.

"Hey…" Felicity said quietly as she sat down in the chair across from him. "Talk to me."

"I'm just ready for the merger to be official."

"You look tired."

"I hate being CEO."

Felicity nodded. "It's not easy…"

"Oliver has you-"

"You have me, too," she told him quickly as she reached out and placed her hand over one of his. "All you have to do is ask and I'll come over to help."

"Wouldn't that be considered suspicious?"

Felicity shrugged. "I doubt Moira would appreciate scandal put on her public plan of Oliver and I, but let's be honest...I really don't care about what she thinks right now." She sighed. "Her plan has always been to try to keep us all apart, but that isn't going to work...and it doesn't make any of us happy."

"Sometimes I wonder if Moira and my father remember that they're parents," Tommy mused.

"Someone did something right," Felicity told him. "Look at you and Thea and Oliver… Sure you've all had rough patches, but you three are so strong and smart…"

He smirked. He wondered what Felicity would have thought of them when they were younger. "I think the credit goes to the missing parents...and Walter."

"I'm sure Walter definitely had a big part with Thea."

Tommy was quiet for a moment and he was definitely happy that Felicity was there right now. She brightened his day and he hoped that he could get her to stick around for at least a little while. "I'm glad that you decided to stop by."

"You seemed pretty down when I walked in," she said after a few moments.

Tommy wasn't sure how much to reveal to Felicity. They'd all agreed not to keep secrets when they'd been back on the boat… He just didn't want to burden her or have her worrying over him. HIs sister already worried enough without his help. In fact, sometimes he worried that she worried too much.

"I just hate working here," he finally told her as he motioned around him. "It's not just being CEO of Merlyn Global." Tommy paused. "Sometimes I feel like I'm stuck in this prison and surrounded by ghosts…"

"If you /really/ don't want this life then you /need/ to talk to him about it."

Him.

His father.

The great Malcolm Merlyn.

How could he, Merlyn's only son and 'true heir' (as far as the public was concerned), convince him that running Merlyn Global wasn't the life that he wanted? How could he convince him that being a CEO was never his dream? Would the money be great? Yes. But money wasn't everything, as Tommy had found out in his later years. He could live without it.

"I doubt he'll understand."

Tommy watched her. He knew that he'd known their father the longest as a father, but Merlyn had taken a liking to Felicity lately. Tommy wondered if Merlyn's training of his sister had changed her feelings towards their father. He still worried about the situation (well, situations) that his father and Moira Queen had put Felicity in since their return to Starling City. Tommy didn't know how she was still sane and seemingly holding it together a lot better than he was.

He'd actually considered getting a boat or living on an island. Of course, he'd been forced to live both ways with his siblings, but this would be different. This would be on his own terms, so he figured that it had to be better. Tommy just wanted simple and to get away from all of the pressure and expectations. The only thing was that he didn't feel like he could give up his new family. The family that he'd always wanted, but didn't know he'd get.

"He's changed."

"He having a good day?" he asked, almost cynically.

Felicity shrugged. "Maybe."

"I know he's been treating you and Oliver better, but-"

"I know he's not to be trusted."

"Just as long as you /know/ that," Tommy told her.

Felicity tilted her head to the side. "Do you want to go to lunch?"

"It's not quite lunch time."

"You're the CEO," Felicity pointed out. "I think that you can leave a little early… We can go office supply shopping or something…"

"What will the paparazzi think?" Tommy teased with a small smile. Maybe getting out of the office and doing anything with Felicity was really what he needed. Sometimes it was hard to leave a normal life when they had people with cameras following them everywhere.

"I don't care," she whispered as she stared at him. Felicity, he realized, grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently. "I just want to make my brother's day a little better."

"Are you sure you're just not trying to get promoted to favorite sister?" he teased lightly with a bigger smile.

Felicity beamed. "You caught me…"

. . .

The music was too loud. The spotlights were too bright. The floor was too crowded.

Crap, he thought, I'm getting old.

It was Verdant's grand re-opening and Tommy didn't think he could feel more out of place as he made his way through the scantily dressed young women who were batting their eyes at him and he knew were way too young for him. A few years before, that wouldn't have mattered, but he was a changed man now. He made his way to the VIP lounge where the rest of the team was gathered to celebrate. He didn't really feel up to partying, especially not in the way of everyone in the club was partying. It just didn't feel like fun to him.

Tommy realized that he'd much rather be down in the quiet of the Foundry /or/ at home. "I think I've already turned into that old man who yells at the kids to stop playing their loud music and to get off of his lawn," Tommy said a bit too loudly as he entered the VIP lounge.

"I know how you feel," Sara sympathized. "But it's still a good cover for the Foundry."

"And Thea and Roy seem to be keeping busy," Oliver pointed out as he motioned towards where their sister and her boyfriend were working in the club.

Tommy turned to watch them. They both seemed happy and he knew that that was really what was important. It was nice to see her happy. He knew that this had been hard on her too. It was good for her to have something to do. He turned back to the others and frowned, Tommy had just realized that someone was missing. "Where's Felicity?" he asked. There was no way that she'd have missed Thea's big night.

"Uh, she's out on the floor," Oliver said slowly.

He could tell that his lifelong friend was keeping something from him. Tommy made his way over to where Oliver was sitting and made himself comfortable on the plush couch next to him. "She's not down in the Foundry?"

"No Team Arrow business tonight," Diggle spoke up.

"Except having fun," Sara added. "And supporting Thea."

"But that's really not Felicity's...scene," Tommy pointed out as he motioned to the one way window and the world of dancing beyond the VIP lounge. He could tell something was going on and he really didn't like secrets.

Oliver shook his head. "It wasn't my idea."

"What wasn't your idea?"

Oliver let out a long sigh and that worried Tommy a bit.

"She's out looking for someone that she finds 'acceptable'," Sara spoke up first.

Now Tommy was the one sighing. "Great. Just what I need."

"How about a drink instead?" Sara offered.

Tommy smiled towards her. "You know...I think I'm going to take you up on that offer…"

"She /means/ well," Oliver told him.

He knew that and normally he'd probably feel touched, if he hadn't been having the worst week ever and he hadn't felt so old walking into that club. In all honesty, Tommy had gone back and forth over the idea of dating. Dating was a normal thing that for a lot of people led to marriage, children, and it seemed like nowadays often led to divorce. Tommy was okay with the first two, but would rather not go through the latter. He also didn't know if he could knowingly subject a wife and possibly children to his father or the world that he'd dumped them all in.

"Just be happy that Felicity's the one that's looking and not Thea…" Diggle said and then looked between all of them. "Just don't repeat that to her."

They all laughed and then Sara disappeared to get drinks.

Tommy tried to relax and just enjoy being there. After all, it wasn't about his discomfort or him feeling old, it was about supporting Thea...and actually relaxing. He realized that he had really never had time to talk to Oliver one on one (or at least for the most part). They had been friends all of their lives and had gone through many a rough patches, but he felt like they were all stronger and closer than ever...even if he hadn't been feeling so great. "Do you remember the last time we were in the club together?"

"Yesterday?" Oliver asked and seemed confused.

"No," Tommy responded quietly. "I mean before I died…"

Oliver looked sad suddenly and he could imagine why. His best friend had been there with him at the end, he'd stayed with him the whole time and had tried to be positive. He'd died and his best friend had thought that he thought he was a monster. "Yeah…"

"I wish that I could change that."

"So do I," Oliver admitted. "We both made mistakes."

"We were both different people."

"We were," Oliver agreed and his features seemed to soften as they continued their discussion. "And we're different people now."

"When we were fifteen...and we'd be told where we would be now… We wouldn't have believed it, even if it came from our future selves...or even if we had a glimpse of this future…" Tommy told him. It sounded all like science fiction, but it was the truth. He didn't think anything or anyone would have been able to convince him that he'd ever hate Oliver or that he'd have died...and then came back from the dead.

"You're right," Oliver told him. "We would have just laughed in their faces and called them crazy…"

"I never realized that even a couple of years would change my viewpoint."

"I don't think we ever realized how much the world could just...change," Oliver pointed out.

"In two years," Tommy mused aloud. "Do you think that we'll be better people? That the world will be better because of us?"

"I hope so," Oliver responded back quietly and sincerely.

Tommy just hoped that his best friend was right. He just hoped that the world wouldn't turn to darkness like his father wanted.

. . .

His night had been better once he'd relaxed a bit. Felicity had introduced him to a total of two women that she found acceptable. He was fairly sure that she'd taken a whole list of things into thought, including their ability to hold a conversation that didn't gush about him being Tommy Merlyn. The two women had both been wonderful in their own way, but he'd actually felt like he'd want to see one of them again. Her name was Melanie and he found her to be a breath of fresh air.

Melanie Walsh was one of those women who didn't know how beautiful they actually were and who didn't overdo it when it came to make-up. She'd come to the club dressed in work attire, but had left her blazer in the car, so not to look like she was trying to make a business deal. She worked at Starling National Bank, so Felicity had told him that she'd ask Walter about her. It wasn't that she was beautiful and seemed like a grown up with her life together that was so appealing, it was that she seemed able to talk about anything and everything and it felt like he'd known her more than just one night. They'd exchanged numbers, but that had been it. No kiss, no nightcap, and no one night stand.

He still worried about what he might bring her into the middle of though if he pursued a relationship with her. He didn't know if he could risk that and felt like maybe he needed to have a talk with Oliver. How did Oliver manage to be the Arrow and be Oliver Queen while dating Felicity and not go crazy with worry about what could happen to her because of being those two things? How could he sleep at night? How could he continue a relationship with her? How could he even concentrate on being happy?

It was about midnight when he finally closed the door to his apartment and turned the deadbolt. He let out a sigh, it had been a long day and he knew now that he definitely was older. He didn't have another four or five hours in him...not like his younger self during his partying...could he call it a phase? He dropped his keys on the entry table and then turned as he started to peel off his coat. Tommy froze when he realized that he wasn't alone.

"Hello Tommy."

The last person that he expected to be in his living room was standing there in the dark.

"I can't say that I'm thrilled to see you," he said. He was tired and his tone reflected that, along with blatant honesty.

"I was worried about you."

Tommy stopped in his tracks and just stared at his father. He reached out and finally turned on the light after a moment, cringing for a second at the bright blast of illumination that filled the room and lit his father's figure up. His father was there dressed in black, like a ninja. Who else had a dad that broke into their apartment dressed as a ninja and then waited around until they got home? Definitely not normal.

"That really doesn't sound like something that my father would say."

"I've changed, Tommy," Merlyn told him and took a step towards him. "I know that you and Thea really don't want me around...and Felicity and Oliver really aren't thrilled about my involvement...but I'm here...and I keep an eye on all of you."

"That's creepy," Tommy admitted as he dropped his jacket over the back of a chair.

Tommy wasn't sure why he hadn't just gotten to the point where he told his father to leave, but he hadn't gotten there. His time at the club hadn't been all about talking to Oliver or Melanie, he'd been drinking too. A cab had dropped him off at home and he'd walked up the stairs in order to get to his apartment in hopes that the brief bit of exercise would help sober him up a bit before he hit the shower and then bed.

"You've been drinking."

"Thea re-opened Verdant," Tommy told him as he shed his suit jacket as well. He started to loosen his tie. "We were all celebrating and hanging out...supporting her. You know, supporting someone is sort of what family does."

Merlyn nodded slowly. "But I've seen you… You haven't been happy."

"Are you really surprised?!" Tommy practically spat at him. He didn't know why he suddenly blew up, it just sort of happened. "I'm screwed up, Dad! We're /all/ screwed up! No wonder none of us are happy!"

For a long time, Merlyn didn't respond. Instead, he just stood there in silence. "I'm trying to change…"

"How's that going to change what you've done?!"

"It doesn't," Merlyn replied all too calmly.

Tommy wasn't sure why, but his father's flat out and sincere calm and honesty was just pissing him off more. He couldn't let go of his childhood and everything he blamed his father for in that time, he couldn't let go of his first go at adulthood, and he couldn't let go of his take two that had landed him with sisters on a boat and island. How could he just forget all of that? How could he forgive it? How did Felicity manage not to put an arrow in him? Or ask Oliver to do it?

"All I wanted in life," Tommy started as calmly as he could. "From you." He paused as he fought to keep control over his emotions that threatened to turn to rage. "Was to be loved and accepted. For you to take time to be my father. For you to comfort me and raise me after my mother /died/." He paused again and couldn't hold back tears. "I never wanted your tough love… I never wanted you to bring me back…" His voice trailed off and he sort of felt good letting it all out. He was certain that his father thought he sounded whiny and saw his tears as weakness, but there was a lot bottled up inside of him. He had come here to check on him, then Tommy figured that it was about time that his father actually heard him.

"I'll do anything for you, Tommy…"

"You can't do anything now…"

"I would do anything-"

"You can't bring her back!" he snapped. "You can't bring back Mom!" Tommy stared at him for a long time. "And you can't bring back Robert Queen… You know, I've started to wonder if part of your motivations for having him killed was just because you were jealous of him… He actually gave a crap about me. He might have spoiled Oliver and I, but he and Moira were always here for me...they were here when you were off learning how to be an assassin…"

"If I could bring back your mother...and if I could bring back Robert, I would," Merlyn promised. "Believe me. I thought about digging up your mother's grave and taking her to Ra's al Ghul and to beg him to let me bring her back...but the stories…" Merlyn paused. "Your mother has been gone too long. Her body is too far gone to attempt to reanimate and hope that she would be the mother that you knew and loved. I didn't want to bring her back if that meant that she would be an abomination…"

"And what am I?!"

"A miracle," Merlyn breathed.

Tommy shook his head and started to pace. He didn't /feel/ like a miracle and he had no idea what to think about his father's words or his story. He honestly didn't know what he'd do if his mother were to show up alive. So many years had passed and so much had happened. Tommy didn't think he'd want her to have to live in that world and through everything that his father had done.

"What about Robert Queen?" he asked with his back to Merlyn.

"I don't know where his body is… It could be at the bottom of the ocean," Merlyn told him.

"But there's a possibility?"

"If that's what you /want/, Tommy," Merlyn said slowly. "If it's something that I could do that might make things better between us...if it would make you happier...I'll drag all the bodies of water in this world to find his body." He paused. "But after all this time in the water, his body might be too far gone to bring back."

"Maybe Oliver knows more...or Sara," he said aloud.

Tommy was certain that his request was selfish and probably hurt his father, but it was really all he could think about at the moment to make amends between the two of them. He didn't want to bring up Merlyn Global because of the merger. They hadn't even talked to Walter and sorted everything out yet. Right now, all he could do was to dwell on the past…

"I need a shower and I'd prefer that you were gone when I got out, so that I can go to bed," Tommy said lowly and evenly. "I have an early morning tomorrow…"

. . .

TBC…


	37. The Bombshell

Being back at Queen Consolidated meant that she had to deal with the fact that the CEO had an assistant. Felicity didn't like the assistant. She swore that the woman flirted just a little too much with Oliver and that the coffee always tasted off. She knew that the whole issue of personnel would change shortly with the merger between Queen Consolidated and Merlyn Global. She, Oliver, and Tommy would sort out how staffing worked then. Right now, they were all just trying to keep the status quo.

So, in the meantime, Felicity enjoyed getting out of the office and getting air while walking down the street to a nearby coffee shop. The coffee never tasted off and it was just a good excuse to get out of the office. It was also handy if she and/or Oliver couldn't really get out of the office for lunch. They conveniently had wrapped sandwiches to go.

She'd been waiting for her coffee order, the pastries already in hand in a paper bag, when one of the last people she expected to see came towards her. Isabel Rochev was in Starling City and was looking right at her.

Crap.

Felicity had learned that when it came to Isabel, things were never coincidence. The evil woman was there for a reason and Felicity was certain that it involved her, Oliver, and Team Arrow. She knew that she really didn't have anything to worry about in public. Isabel would never dare actually attempt anything physical or newsworthy in a coffee shop, but that didn't ease her nerves.

"Felicity," the barista called as her coffees were set out in a carrier.

She looked between Isabel, who was nearly to her position, and the coffees. Felicity was wondering if she could grab the coffees and make it out of the coffee shop before Isabel could make it to her. Avoiding the icy woman seemed like a viable plan...at least in theory. So, Felicity gave it a go. She quickly shouted a 'thank you' to the barista before grabbing her coffee order. She hurried in the opposite direction of Isabel. Felicity knew that the door she was about to head out of would mean a few extra minutes backtracking, but if it meant avoiding Isabel then it was all worth it.

Hot coffee hit her and her mouth dropped open as she let go of her own coffees, which splashed against her after hitting the floor. Felicity didn't know what to pay more attention to, the pain or the person who had inflicted it. Her chest was burning from the hot liquid and her blouse was drenched and now fairly sheer as it clung to her skin. Her left leg also had a trail of burning that included the top of her foot and she was fairly sure she now had coffee in her shoe.

"Oh! I'm sorry!"

Isabel Rochev.

Felicity looked at her and the woman seemed to be keeping a fuss from being made over it all. Isabel Rochev was far too good of an actress when it came to the public and Felicity wished that she could tell everyone that she'd done it on purpose. "I'm fine," she lied as she pulled away from Isabel's reach as the woman pretended to blot coffee from her.

Isabel grabbed her arm and leaned in close enough that her words only traveled between the two of them. "I just wanted to make sure that you knew that I was /back/ and that I /will/ be doing a lot more than just giving you minor burns…"

Yanking herself back away from the crazy woman, Felicity stumbled a bit and headed further into the coffee shop. She was certain that Isabel was following her because she heard her voice trying to publicly make it sound like she was mending bridges.

"Could we please have those coffees again? How much? I'll pay for all three."

Felicity thought that she was home free, at least for a few minutes, in order to do the best she could to freshen herself when she was grabbed by Isabel. She was sure to the watching eyes of the public around that it didn't look like anything serious.

"Here! Let me help you!" Isabel's voice said far too loud to be normal.

She was shoved into the bathroom and the door was closed and then locked behind Isabel. Felicity stared at the other woman. They were still both expected to walk out of that bathroom like normal adults and with no further harm done. What did Isabel really thin she could prove in that small confines of that bathroom?

Isabel turned on the facet and then turned her gaze back to Felicity. "You tell Oliver that I could have killed you today if I had wanted," she threatened. "It would have been easy and there would have been no witnesses past seeing you pick up your coffee and leave the building…"

What did you say to something like that?

"You being the daughter of Malcolm Merlyn or the fact that he's brokered some kind of /deal/ with my father means nothing to me. I /will/ be coming for you...all of you. Once I kill every last one of you, I'll take Queen Consolidated back...and I hear, I might even have a bigger prize… There are rumors that you're merging with Merlyn Global." She was confidant and a little too pleased as she spoke. "That'll just make things that much better…"

Felicity just waited. She figured that there was no point to arguing with the woman. The last thing they needed was for there to be a spat in the bathroom. If it got out of control, Felicity knew that Isabel could take out every single person in that bustling coffee shop and then likely make it look like she'd luckily survived. Right now, the two of them couldn't settle anything.

Isabel smirked at her and motioned up and down. "Now clean yourself up and collect your coffees on your way out… We wouldn't want people to talk…" With that, Isabel was gone.

. . .

The /only/ reason she went back to Queen Consolidated was because of Oliver. She didn't want him to worry if she just texted him that she'd see him later. She knew that that would put up more red flags than they needed. Today was going to be hard enough. Plus, they'd been in such a hurry to get to their meeting with Walter that morning that they hadn't had the tasty kind of coffee or breakfast. Those were both things that normally happened. A coffee and pastry really weren't a proper meal, but they would both be enough for Oliver to consume quickly and continue with what he needed to get done.

"Hey…"

"Do you mind if I go to the Foundry?" she asked quickly, her eyes focusing on his desk as she set down the bag of pastries and the cup of coffee. "I was thinking that-" she started to ramble, but Oliver stopped her. He'd turned her, his hands were on her arms, and he was standing right in front of her.

"What happened?"

His voice was gentle as he asked and she looked up into his eyes. She knew that she couldn't keep this from him. She just wished that it could wait until after dinner. "Isabel Rochev ran into me...with coffee…" She could see the anger flaring in him immediately. "I'm okay… I mean, coffee burns, but they're not bad burns… I'll be fine, I-"

Oliver wrapped his arms around her and held her there. "I'm sorry."

"I'm okay, Oliver," she assured as she wrapped her arms around him. "I'll heal and hopefully the coffee will wash out of my blouse." She pulled away from him and motioned down to her left heel. "Not sure those will wash out though…"

He smiled a small smile and then kissed her forehead. "Diggle should have been with you...or Sara…"

"I was in public… I /should/ have been fine. I make that trip /all/ the time," she told him. Felicity really didn't want the security, especially the added security that would come with it if Oliver felt like her life was really threatened.

"But you weren't."

And he was right.

"She threatened me...us…"

"What did she say?"

"That she's going to kill all of us and take over the company." Felicity added a moment later, "And she knows about the merger…" She sighed. "She said that she could have killed me today and no one would have known it was her if she wanted…"

Rage was definitely bubbling now.

"Are you /sure/ you're okay?"

Felicity nodded as she watched him. "Really...I'm-I'm shaken more than anything…" she admitted. They had talked about talking more and being truthful, so she was doing that. "But it was because I knew I couldn't do anything in public… Isabel doesn't know who she's messing with… She doesn't know that I can defend myself or that I can use a bow or-"

"Isabel...Talia...she's tough, Felicity."

"I know."

"Digg-"

"We have dinner tonight," she reminded and reached up to pretend to fix his tie. She ran her hand down the fabric of it and let out a slow breath. Felicity really wasn't looking forward to that dinner, but it was likely to just go along with the theme of the rest of the day. She knew that they couldn't get worked up and that they couldn't deviate from the course of the day. There was just too much at stake. "I finished all the merger paperwork before I went to get coffee… So, there's really not a whole lot I /need/ to do here before dinner tonight…" she told him as calmly as possible. She stared up at him and could see the worry in his face...in his eyes. He hated all of this. "So, why don't you call up Diggle or Sara and let them know I'm heading to the Foundry for a bit and they can meet me there, if they're not already there…"

"Okay," he said quietly before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Just… I don't like it," he said once they parted. "And I just want to know that you're safe." And she understood that. "Can you just do something for me?"

Felicity reached up and ran her fingers along the side of his face. "You know that I'd do anything for you."

He let out a sigh. "Call me when you get into your car? Let me talk to you until you get to the Foundry?"

She smiled. "It'll be like a long distance lunch date."

"I think we missed the part where we're supposed to have an actual meal, though."

"Don't really think my stomach could handle it right now anyways," Felicity told him honestly. "But I'll call you," she promised and pulled him down for a goodbye kiss.

. . .

The only parent that actually knew what they'd be discussing was Walter and Felicity felt bad for putting him in the middle of things, but he was really their only hopes of making it work. She had a feeling that once Moira and Merlyn found that out that there might be some glaring. They hadn't done any of this to pit anyone against another, it was just for ease of getting things done and for minimal stress during the process. With Isabel Rochev looming, they really didn't need another uncalled for stresser.

"Please tell me that this isn't another one of your 'be better parents' meetings," Moira practically complained as she directed her attention towards Thea.

"You should have paid attention more," Thea said a bit coldly. "There was also a heavy dose of 'I'm concerned about my siblings and you should get an attitude adjustment because the world doesn't revolve around you'."

"Seems some of us missed quite the meeting," Roy mumbled.

"Thea's actually not the one who called this," Oliver announced and Felicity could hear the confusion in his voice, she was confused too at the exchange between Moira and Thea. She'd have to talk to her little sister about it later.

Felicity was thankful that she had a change of clothes at the Foundry and she'd been able to change. She'd come to dinner in something a little more colorful than she'd originally planned, but she really didn't think her attire should matter. She'd been wearing black and white earlier and had hoped to blend in with everyone else, but that would be nearly impossible now with her bright pink dress. Tomorrow she'd take something in a more muted color and leave it at the Foundry for the next time, though she hoped the next time she needed a change of clothes wasn't because of another Isabel coffee assault incident.

"You did?" Moira questioned Oliver.

At least she seemed intrigued, Felicity mused. Everyone was there, so she figured that they might as well start. "Actually, it wasn't just Oliver...Tommy and I wanted to discuss some things as well."

"Which is why I assume Malcolm is present."

"Yes," Tommy replied with a slight nod.

Moira took her seat and Felicity watched her closely. The rest of them had been milling about, most of them talking amongst themselves. "This is going to be interesting," Moira commented and looked towards Walter. At that moment, it seemed like Moira was studying him and Felicity became worried that they were all screwed. They knew that Moira was going to be upset with their news, but they didn't need her all wound up before they even discussed it. "You know why we're here, Walter…" Moira said slowly.

Felicity suddenly felt like she was watching a train wreck.

"Moira-" Walter started to speak.

"You /do/ know! They've told you and not told us!" Moira went on and then looked towards Merlyn. "Do you know, Malcolm?"

"No," Merlyn replied calmly.

"But you already know," Moira said as she turned back to Walter.

Oh, they were going to be doomed.

Felicity sank into her chair and brought her hands up to her face.

"Mom! Can you let someone else put a sentence together for a minute?" Oliver shouted. Felicity could hear the frustration ring in Oliver's voice. She looked up to see him looking directly at his mother, his expression was stern.

"Put a sentence together already," Moira said as she motioned around.

Everyone else had taken a seat and Felicity felt like Walter was extremely brave taking any seat near Moira. If her glares didn't get him, then she worried about his proximity to her. There was a moment of silence and she was going to speak up, but Walter and his lovely British accent started before she could push the words out.

"Moira, the reason why I didn't confide in you is a simple one," Walter said.

"You don't /trust/ me," Moira said as evenly as she could and then looked towards the rest of them. "No one seems to trust me."

"Given good reason," Merlyn spoke up.

"You're one to talk!"

"I'm not arguing that fact."

Felicity sighed. This was going to be a /long/ night.

"Getting back to letting me finish what I was /saying/," Walter said and actually sounded a bit irked. "I didn't confide in you, Moira, because I simply wasn't sure that the children would go through with this… It was quite /a lot/ to think about."

"What are you talking about?" Moira pushed.

"And I think that's /our/ cue," Felicity spoke up and let her words come out slowly. She didn't miss Moira's glare in her direction. "I guess I'll just come out and explain why we asked Walter to keep things quiet."

"And /why/ it involves the three of you."

Felicity nodded. "Well, it's not /just/ the three of us," she told Moira. "It involves the companies."

"I don't like where this is headed…"

"Dad, you /know/ I hate running Merlyn Global," Tommy told Merlyn flat out as he looked across the table at him. "It's one thing to work /in/ the company and another to be CEO of it."

"I don't understand where you're going with this," Merlyn said. His tone was still even and he looked relaxed in his chair.

Oliver was taking her hand and when he squeezed it, Felicity knew that he was going to spill it all out. That was a hefty secret and it was a lot harder telling it than she had originally thought. "We're going to merge Merlyn Global and Queen Consolidated."

"What?!" Moira practically screamed. "I won't allow it!"

"That's...unexpected," was all Merlyn said.

Felicity noticed how done Roy and Thea was with this 'family dinner' already and they hadn't even started the dinner portion. Moira was blowing things out of the water. "It's what makes the most sense for those of us who are running the companies-"

"/You're/ not running either company," Moira spat.

"I would not have kept Queen Consolidated going as CEO for as long as I have without Felicity," Oliver said quickly.

"She's good, Mrs. Queen," Tommy spoke up. "Running a company isn't easy...and it's not something that the three of us really expected to be doing." He was quiet for a moment. "I'm sure that I speak for Oliver when I say that we both expected our fathers to still be running both companies until they had grandchildren…"

"It doesn't sound /so/ bad," Thea spoke up. "It's not a bad thing, is it, Walter?"

"Actually, I think that the companies will help one another with this merger," Walter spoke up.

The voice of reason.

"How so?" Merlyn asked and seemed interested.

Felicity hadn't missed the fact that Moira was still fuming at the end of the table.

"Merlyn Global is still suffering from the bad press because of...the Undertaking," Walter explained. "Things at Queen Consolidated are still recovering because of Moira's stint in jail…" He paused. "In all honesty, I believe that a merger would yield far better numbers than the currently combined increases we've seen over the last year."

"Plus, there would be less stress on us," Tommy spoke up.

"The three of us have thought this over and it's what /we/ believe is best for ourselves /and/ the companies," Felicity explained. "I know that this might not have been your original plan for us, but I assure you...we're thinking about the companies. This way, both companies will technically still remain in /both/ families. It won't be Merlyn Global and Queen Consolidated anymore, but there will still be a company. I know that legacy is important to both of you," Felicity said as she looked between Moira and Merlyn. "That's why we kept things quiet and we brought in someone we knew we could trust before it could be officially announced. We /knew/ we could trust Walter because he /is/ family."

"And really, this might bring about a bit of monopoly on things...a /legal/ one," Walter added. "I wouldn't be sitting here speaking on behalf of this merger if I thought it was a bad idea."

"What would Robert say?" Moira asked and sounded simply disgusted.

"He'd likely be happy to do it," Walter answered. "Taking that there was not bad blood between him and Malcolm." He tilted his head. "Robert was always looking towards the future as far as the company went… He would tell you that the companies belong to the children now and even though you're Moira Queen, /we/ need to let them make their own decisions. Make their own mistakes. Show us that there /can/ be other ways of doing things."

Moira still seemed disgusted, but kept quiet.

"Have you thought of a name?" Merlyn asked.

Felicity dropped her mouth open a bit and then finally pushed out words. "So, um...that was our breakfast discussion for tomorrow...given that we weren't locked away tonight…"

"If it's going to help the three of you live a little more /while/ being beneficial to the stockholders, then I don't know /why/ I would object," Merlyn said all too logically.

"Okay then."

"We're really not /asking/ for permission, Mom," Oliver said a bit coldly a moment later. "And Walter's right…and you know he is. Dad would have counseled us...and Walter has...and then he'd let us make decisions and learn from them."

"But merging the company," Moira said, still sounding upset. "What are you going to call it? Who's going to be in charge?"

"It's not all about what it'll be called, Mom," Oliver said more gently. "Or who will be in charge… It's about our families still having a legacy /and/ the three of us being able to have some control over our lives. I'm assuming that you still want us to /live/ our lives."

"I'm not sure that you'll feel the same after I give /my/ announcement," Moira told him.

Oh, crap.

Felicity squeezed Oliver's hand and they all waited for it. She was fairly sure that Moira was purposely pausing for dramatic effect. As much as she liked to remind herself that they were adults, Moira and Merlyn tended to pull the rug out from under them all when it came to those kinds of thoughts.

"I had just talked to Malcolm last night and we decided on something," Moira announced.

"What?" Thea asked and sounded like she couldn't take anymore.

Felicity knew how she felt.

Moira was quiet for a few moments, as if collecting herself. "Malcolm and I have decided that Felicity and Oliver do /not/ have to continue the charade of getting engaged and married…"

"I won't even push for you to take my name," Merlyn told her directly. "I just want you to be happy."

They were pulling weights off of them, but all Felicity could feel was dread. What did that mean for her and Oliver? What would that mean for everything? She loved him and...he loved her, but without the pressure of having to get married in less than a year, would things change? Selfishly, Felicity didn't want things to change. She liked them just the way they were currently except with less parental pressure.

She bowed her head and closed her eyes.

Felicity couldn't bring herself to be happy or relieved.

"Felicity?"

. . .

TBC...


	38. Family Trying to Unite

"Merlyn Queen something…"

"Queen Global."

"We could use the initials," Felicity suggested. "MQ something...or QM. QM Global."

"Not quite as promising to continue legacies," Tommy pointed out.

Felicity sighed, he was right. She was fairly sure that both Moira and Merlyn were going to expect both family names in the company, but it wasn't like Queen-Merlyn Consolidated Global was going to work. It just didn't sound right and that's not how mergers worked normally. There was normally one name kept or a brand new one was formed. "Forcing both names into a new company name isn't going to be easy."

"You're right," Oliver told her. "We're going to have to figure out how to compromise."

"You mean like figure out a company name using Queen and Merlyn?" Tommy asked. "Because that seems tricky."

"Anagram," Felicity suggested.

"Anna who?"

Felicity shook her head. "Taking Merlyn and Queen, using the letters to create a new word...that's called an anagram."

"Such a nerd."

Oliver chuckled. "We don't have to figure it out today."

"But your mom is going to ask."

Felicity watched them both. It was nice to seem them both happy, even if it was a little stressful at the moment. It was a nice change of pace. "And then probably hate whatever we decide on."

"That's...fair." Oliver conceded.

"Why don't we just stick with Queen?" Tommy suggested. "I was practically raised with you and Thea. Your father was more of a father to me growing up than mine was."

"You're sure?" Oliver questioned.

Felicity watched them both, it was like they were having a silent conversation between the spoken words.

"Yes."

Silence filled the room and Felicity let it for a moment. It was a lot to take in and a lot that would have to be dealt with later, mainly with the parents. That was going to be an interesting conversation later. Felicity wondered if she could get around that dinner conversation or if it was possible to get Merlyn on board with it first, though she wasn't sure how well that would work now that they were just going to keep with Queen and drop Merlyn. She honestly didn't know how attached he was to his surname being part of the company name or if he'd be happy enough to just have attachment to a company and have his children running it.

"It should be something separate from Queen Consolidated," Felicity spoke up. "Queen Global?"

"Queen Industries?" Oliver suggested.

"Queen International?"

"I like that one," Tommy said. "It's just another word that pretty much means the same thing as global."

Felicity felt like Merlyn Global really was Merlyn's way of wanting to rule the world. Merlyn Global, like Queen Consolidated reached far past the city limits of Starling City. Sometimes, she wondered if it wasn't just a front at one point for Merlyn's attempt at world domination. Maybe the Undertaking had just been the start of it. She just hoped that Merlyn (and Moira) were done with all of that. The companies belonged to Oliver and Tommy now and she hoped that they were allowed to run them how they desired.

"Well, we still have time to mull it over," Oliver told them. "It really doesn't have to be decided right this moment."

"We should probably release the new logo design artwork at the same time though," Tommy pointed out.

"Walter said that it takes a while for all of the legal stuff to fall into place. So, I think we'll have time. Though, it really wouldn't hurt for us to have everything together sooner rather than later. It'll make the transition smoother…"

"And quicker."

Felicity jotted down some notes. She wanted to make sure that she made notes because she just couldn't be sure if they'd all remember later. She was fairly tired, Felicity had tossed most of the night and hadn't had enough coffee yet. "We also need to figure out where to have our main headquarters," she spoke up as she continued to make notes. "It doesn't have to be either building in Starling City…

"That sounds like a pain in the ass," Tommy commented. "Not like there's some other skyscraper for sale…"

"We could always have one built," Oliver suggested. "Though, the only place I could think to put it would be in the Glades...which would be closer to the Foundry."

Felicity shook her head. "Not everything needs to be closer to the Foundry." She opened her mouth to say something else when out of the peripheral vision, she saw movement coming towards them. Glass walls were handy sometimes.

One minute they were discussing buildings and the next Felicity had been almost positive that Oliver was going to kill Isabel with a letter opener. This was why you didn't model such things to look like daggers, she thought. Though, it was tempting for even her to stab Isabel right there, but they couldn't. They had to look proper in public especially at Queen Consolidated. But Isabel Rochev had just barged in on their meeting and no one had stopped her, though Felicity really couldn't blame the assistant...Felicity wouldn't have wanted to stop her either. Isabel always looked angry and far too beautiful at the same time and Felicity knew that she was also deadly. Not exactly a winning combination.

"So happy for the three of you!" Isabel said far too happily. It was a forced and faked tone. "I hear there's going to be quite a lot going on! Good for the three of you!"

"Why are you here, Isabel?" Oliver ground out slowly. Felicity watched as he positioned himself in front of her, so that he was between her and Isabel. She also noticed his fingers fidgeting, wishing for a bow and a quiver full of arrows.

"I told you...to congratulate you," Isabel said slowly. She smiled her evil smile. "I hear Queen Consolidated and Merlyn Global are likely to merge. Now, that's really a ballsy move on your parts, but I'm sure more convenient, given everything I know about the three of you." She adjusted her position slightly, like she was slightly changing into a different modeling position. She didn't know why Isabel Rochev always looked like she was about to walk the runway and was always in poses that looked like she was ready to have her picture taken.

Felicity really wasn't sure what to think about Isabel's words. All she knew was that right now, they had a lot to lose if Isabel made the wrong things public. It wasn't just in regards to the companies, but about the three of them. Felicity was especially worried that Isabel would expose her as Malcolm Merlyn's daughter. She didn't think she could deal with that. IT was bad enough with all the media coverage as Oliver Queen's girlfriend. She didn't need more.

"Though I hear that there's also a wedding coming up," Isabel said. "I'm not surprised though. Oliver, you've been defending her since day one. I knew it then and it's still apparently now. Just surprised that her hem hasn't gotten shorter…"

"None of that concerns you," Oliver told her. "Felicity doesn't concern you." Oliver paused. "You stay away from her."

"I think that you're going to have to make me," Isabel said sinisterly.

Dread filled Felicity and she knew that she was on Isabel's target radar, there was no doubt about that.

"What?!" Tommy practically exploded.

"What? Are you going to run home and tell Daddy?" Isabel teased and seemed far too amused by them. She didn't seem threatened at all.

"You stay away from Felicity!" Tommy said through gritted teeth as he stepped up alongside Oliver.

"Don't worry," Isabel said slowly. Her eyes moved, taking everyone in as she spoke. "She won't be the only one that I'll be seeing soon enough. Isabel left without another word, not even a goodbye.

"Don't go after her," Felicity said quietly as she grabbed Oliver's hand as his foot lifted off of the floor. She knew him. She knew that he wanted to go after Isabel and end things. He wanted to keep Isabel from hurting her.

"Felicity-"

"Please," she quietly begged. "Let's just get this work done."

"She-"

"She's gone now."

"But-"

"Isabel Rochev is not our priority right now, Oliver," she reminded. "So, let's get to working on what's actually important."

"Felicity…"

"Please," she whispered. "None of us need to concentrate on her. She's playing games with us." Felicity looked between Oliver and Tommy. She knew that Oliver should know better than engage her in games like this, but Tommy wasn't experienced with dealing with Isabel. "Let's just focus on our family...and this merger…"

. . .

"The Starling City Police Department is losing it," Roy complained as he headed towards where she was sitting in the Foundry.

"Why now?" Felicity asked as she turned in her chair to face him.

"Detective Lance was upstairs visiting with Sara," Roy explained. "She'll probably be down in a moment."

"Oh-kay…"

"His radio went off," Roy said with a shrug. "A police officer reported seeing ninjas…"

"Ninjas?"

"Ninjas," Roy confirmed with a nod.

The League of Assassins.

Ra's al Ghul.

Isabel Rochev.

Talia al Ghul.

Her mind started to race. Was this a ramp up to something? Her fingers reached out for her phone. She was thinking about calling Oliver, but heavy and quick steps coming down the stairs told her that it wasn't just Sara that was entering the Foundry. Oliver and Diggle were both with her.

Felicity's fingers curled up around her phone and she got up out of her seat. She was concentrating on moving towards the stairs, so that she could make her call outside of the Foundry and outside of Verdant. It wasn't critical, but she'd just feel more comfortable making the call if she wasn't in the midst of people listening to her every word.

"Felicity, where are you going?" Oliver whispered, his hand catching her arm.

Her gaze moved up to meet his eyes. "I should make a call."

"You shouldn't be alone," he reminded. Oliver looked around. "Isabel's been harassing Felicity. She showed up today at the office and threatened her."

Felicity shook her head. "She threatened ALL of us."

"Sara or Diggle should be with you."

"I'm just going to make a call."

Felicity knew that everyone was looking at her right now and when she heard more steps coming down the stairs, she knew that it was likely Tommy and Thea. They were the only ones that were missing from their group. She could see that Oliver was concerned and so was she, but she couldn't just sit down there and try to Google search The League of Assassins.

"Who are you going to call?" Roy asked. "We'll be quiet…"

She sighed, her back was to Roy. He likely wasn't going to like this. "I was going to call Merlyn… See if I can get him to explain to me what his deal with Ra's al Ghul is… See if we're all going to regret it and just hope that it's going to help us as far as Isabel is concerned." Felicity knew that that was a lot to take in, but it was what they needed to know right now. She didn't think that Tommy or Thea were going to volunteer on going to their father and finding out the information.

"We should talk to him in person," Sara spoke up. "He could lie to you."

"What are you...a human lie detector?"

"Sara's right," Oliver backed up. "We'd be able to tell if he wasn't being truthful."

"And maybe it would give us a good idea of any kind of game he might be playing with us," Diggle practically agreed.

Felicity sighed. "Then, I'll call and set up a meeting."

Even though she knew that her brother and sister were present, they'd remained quiet. They often did. Though they came down into the Foundry a lot, they weren't firm participants in Team Arrow business. That didn't mean that the voice that came next was expected, it actually caught her off guard.

"We should all go."

Felicity spun towards Tommy's voice. "We'd have to probably meet him at Merlyn Mansion...unless he can come here," she explained. "I know that it's not some place-"

"I can make it work," Tommy insisted.

"Are you sure?"

"We'll all in this together, right?"

"Plus, this involves all of us," Thea spoke up. "What does it all mean? The ninja sightings?"

"They're assassins," Sara corrected. "And it doesn't mean anything good."

. . .

Felicity couldn't believe that everyone had insisted on going to Merlyn Mansion. She was fairly sure that Oliver, Sara, and Roy could have been out there going after the assassins roaming the city. Of course, Diggle could go too, but Felicity was fairly sure that he was on guard duty if Sara was out in the field. She'd called ahead of time to make sure he'd be there, but he didn't know that everyone was coming. That was apparent when he opened the door to all of them.

"I would have ordered pizza if I knew so many were coming," Merlyn said. "You all eat pizza, right?"

"Can't speak for everyone, but I'm really not hungry," Felicity told him as she walked into the mansion far enough for everyone to get inside before Merlyn could close the door. Sometimes she wondered how he kept his being alive a secret. It sounded like most people were saying that they were in agreement with her. They'd come there for one reason after all.

"So, what can I do for all of you?"

He seemed calm and collected. Felicity had noticed he'd seemed cheery when he'd answered the door, even with the surprise of extra people. She didn't know how to really take that. If he'd just been excited that she'd wanted to see him on a non-scheduled day or if he was taking some kind of medication that just put him in a really good mood. She didn't think sitting alone in that mansion was doing him any favors in the mental department. Though, he really didn't have much other choice.

"The League of Assassins are in town," Oliver spoke up.

"And Talia has been in contact with Oliver and Felicity," Sara added.

"I'm assuming as Isabel Rochev," Merlyn said and his smile dropped. He took a few steps and then stopped. "Is it fair to assume that this contact has been threatening?"

"That's fair," Oliver responded.

He was looking at her, Felicity realized. Merlyn was almost fixated on her as he took a few more steps in her direction. Felicity didn't know if she'd have felt any more comfortable if she'd have been the only one there, probably not, but she felt so on spot right now. "There are things that we have to know," she told him. "It's not just Oliver and I that she's targeting."

"I wouldn't be surprised if she's coming after the companies," Tommy spoke up. "She already knew about the mergers and we've been keeping it quiet."

"She might have surveillance," Merlyn put out there.

Felicity sucked in a breath. "The whole family is in danger right now. We're in danger and we can't defend ourselves if we don't have all the facts."

"You have them."

"You made a deal with Ra's," Oliver pointed out. "A deal which involved Queen Consolidated and Isabel...Talia…"

"I can help you...with those in town," Merlyn volunteered.

Diggle tilted his head, his arms crossed over his chest. "Isn't your get-up look exactly the same as all of the other assassins in town?"

"Don't worry, I've added a distinguishing feature," Merlyn said and was smiling again.

"We'd appreciate the help," Felicity said slowly and could feel Oliver squeeze her hand in response. The thing was, there was no way that Merlyn wasn't going to get involved now since he knew his children were in danger. Oliver had to accept that and accept that they probably would need the help. "But we DO need to know about your deal… We need to know the details."

Merlyn shook his head. "Leave that to me."

Felicity couldn't accept that Merlyn wanted to just ignore their request. She took a step towards him, letting go of Oliver's hand. "We need to know and you need to tell us. It's great that you want to help. We could use all of the help that we could get, but you HAVE to trust us… TRUST us with this information," Felicity pushed. "If we're a family, then we're a family… You can't choose to be a family one minute and then go rogue the next. That's not going to work."

"In order to get Queen Consolidated back into our family...and to get Talia to leave the company and she was supposed to keep clear of my family," Merlyn explained. He even sounded a bit angry. "In return…" He paused. "I promised Ra's a portion of the profits from BOTH companies...along with a favor. Anything he asks in the future."

"How much of the profits?" Tommy asked.

"Ten percent," Merlyn responded.

"That doesn't sound like a lot, but that's A LOT. The companies are worth millions..." Thea finally spoke up. "You didn't even talk to any of us about it first."

"I was keeping you safe."

"But you don't need to do that anymore," Felicity told him gently. She was certain that he felt like he was doing the right thing. So far as she could tell, that's what had driven him through the last several months, but that didn't make any of it right. He had gone about things all wrong in the past. "We're adults...and we can...for the most part, take care of ourselves."

"Ra's is dangerous-"

"But TOGETHER we're stronger," Sara spoke up.

If anyone else in their group knew exactly how deadly Ra's al Ghul, his daughter, and whole the League was...it was Sara. Felicity didn't even look at her, but she agreed with her. "You HAVE to be in this TOGETHER with us...or else it's not going to work."

"I have to talk to Ra's alone though," Merlyn told her.

. . .

TBC…


	39. Targets

"I want to discuss what my mother said."

Felicity stopped and had to slowly set her coffee cup down onto the counter. Her hands shook for a moment before she clasped them together and pulled in a deep breath. Things had been good the day before… They'd been too busy to really talk about it, but though the morning had been awkward...the rest of the day had been fine. He'd acted like he'd been acting with her. They'd smiled at each other, there'd been touches, he'd been protective, and he'd held her hand.

She took a moment before finally speaking. "If you want me to move out-"

"What?"

Slowly, she turned to face him. They were both dressed to go into Queen Consolidated...Queen International. She'd been hoping to avoid this conversation, but at the same time she knew that she'd feel a sense of relief once they had had it. "You don't HAVE to be with me… We don't HAVE to put on a show for the cameras…"

"What if that's what I want?"

Felicity's mouth dropped open and she just stared at him for a long moment. She wanted him to say that. She did, but he'd actually said it and she wasn't quite sure how to respond. "Oliver, you-"

"I LOVE you, Felicity… I'm not here because my mother and Malcolm Merlyn told me that I HAD to be. I would close the curtains and sleep on the couch if that were the case, but I don't… I sleep in the same bed that you do. I love watching you sleep. I love holding you. I love how you still seem to be embarrassed with me seeing you in your bra and panties…"

She couldn't control the blush rising in her cheeks and started to smile. Felicity looked away for a moment before looking back at him. "I guess… I just-"

"You thought I might leave."

"I thought you might not want to be tied to someone who's damaged," Felicity told him honestly and her smile fell away. It was truthful and she knew that he'd counter her words, but deep down she felt damaged. Oliver had done so much to make her feel better since they'd been back in Starling. She'd taken the steps that she'd needed to assert some power...some control, but it seemed like their lives were filled with power struggles.

He was quiet. Too quiet. Oliver's face seemed to sadden and Felicity knew that her words were going to affect him possibly more than she'd originally thought. He looked down and all she could do was watch him. "You don't know EVERYTHING that happened to me those five years… Believe me, Felicity, you are NOT broken," he whispered as he looked up at her. "I'm broken...but you've made me closer to a whole person...and...and I still have no idea how you've been able to accept me and believe in me all these years."

Felicity stared at him like he was crazy. She knew that Oliver had had a hard five years and he'd had a hard year and a half back in Starling City, but he had them… They'd become a family. "You're not broken," she whispered back.

"Then don't say you are," he said as he moved towards her.

Her hand stretched out for him before he was even within her reach. Oliver ran his arm along hers and pulled her into his arms. Felicity clung to him and it was like coming home all over again. She knew that he loved her...and now she knew that he wasn't going to leave her. They would continue to face things together. "I love you."

"I always thought that saying I love you would be so scary," Oliver admitted as he held her. She could hear the smile in his voice. "I don't think it's ever come so easy…"

She pulled back just enough so that she could see his face. Felicity smiled at him. "I don't think your mother planned for you to say that…"

"This is OUR life," Oliver told her. "My mother doesn't get a say in that."

Felicity beamed at him.

"But I can understand why you would think that I would possibly take her offered 'out'," Oliver explained. "Given my past-"

"It's in the past," she told him and silenced him with her lips. Her heels had helped with the height difference, but she'd tried to raise herself up on her toes just a bit more in order to close the distance between them.

"That doesn't make it less relevant," Oliver told her once their lips were parted.

She nodded and knew that he was right. "I know."

"I just-"

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door and Felicity realized who it had to be. Sara and Diggle. They were there to escort them into work. She sighed and turned back to the counter to pick up her coffee, one hand moved up to straighten her glasses. Felicity sipped her coffee as she used her free hand to smooth down the side of her light pink dress.

"Why do you always look like I'm interrupting something when I see you?" Diggle asked.

Felicity turned her head in the direction of the door. Sara was already past Oliver and moving quickly towards the kitchen, Felicity smiled and started to pour her a cup of coffee.

"Because sometimes you are," Oliver told him.

"Was it important?"

"Everything is important."

"Huh...huh…" Diggle said with a smirk as he moved towards where she and Sara were standing sipping coffee.

Sara already had a cup of coffee poured for him and handed it to him. "They're still in the honeymoon stage, John," Sara told him. "Plus, it's not like they get a lot of time together...just them."

"I suppose it's not as exciting when we crash your domestic breakfast bliss," Diggle said as he took his coffee to the small table and sat. Oliver moved and sat with Diggle. "You wouldn't happen to have bagels?"

Felicity smiled a little. In truth, she liked having meals with a group, BUT this was really the only time that she and Oliver had together when they weren't exhausted or working. This was when they talked about everything that they needed to talk about. "No, but I did pick up some danishes." She retrieved the box and pulled one out for herself, Sara quickly swiped one as well, before Felicity took the box and set it at the table. The table was small and only had two chairs, which made it harder to entertain for the time being, but it always worked out. Most dinners they ate at the Foundry anyways.

"I love you," Diggle told Felicity.

"Hey!" Oliver and Sara protested in unison.

Diggle grinned now. "I think people are jealous…" He looked from Oliver and then to Sara.

Felicity just shook her head as she walked back to the counter. She still had coffee to drink and a danish to eat. She checked the clock though, just to make sure that they were running /on/ time. She /hated/ being late and so Oliver was learning that if he wanted her to be calm for the entirety of the car ride that he learned to get to places early and on time.

She pulled a piece from her danish and stuffed it into her mouth. Oliver and Diggle were chatting and she was half listening to their conversation about Arrow team dynamics. Felicity brought the coffee cup up to her mouth to sip the coffee. There was something in her peripheral vision that caught her attention. At first, she thought it was Sara, but as she turned her head she realized that it was past Sara. Behind her, Felicity couldn't believe who she could see through their window.

The wet coffee hitting her leg and the tops of her feet surprised her before she actually heard the breaking of the coffee cup as it hit the floor. Tears started to fall from her eyes as she started to bend down to gather up the broken pieces.

"Felicity?" Oliver called.

"Are you okay?" Sara asked.

She reached out and picked up one of the larger pieces and dropped it a moment later when it cut her hand open. Blood now mixed into the mess on the floor. A sob escaped her lips and Sara was crouching down next to her.

"It's okay. I'll get it," Sara said gently as she pressed a washcloth into her hand.

Oliver was at her other side, his arms wrapping around her and guiding her to straighten to her feet. "Come sit down," he whispered and moved with her to where he was sitting before with Diggle. Once she was seated, Oliver crouched down as he pulled the washcloth back to look at it. "It's not too bad."

"It still should have a bandage on it," Diggle spoke up as he set a first aid kit on the table and sat back down in the seat across from her.

Felicity couldn't stop the tears falling from her eyes. She felt stupid. She'd not only broken a coffee cup, but also made a mess in the kitchen and of herself. Felicity was fairly sure that her dress was free of coffee stains...and hopefully blood stains, but her shoes were likely ruined and she was going to need to wipe down her leg and feet. "I'm sorry," she blurted out in a whisper as she diverted her gaze from her hand as Diggle started to clean the wound. The sight of blood was making her feel queasy.

"What happened?" Oliver asked gently.

"I thought I saw Isabel," she whispered.

His eyes met hers and Felicity didn't know whether or not he thought she was crazy or not. She couldn't be certain, but she'd sworn that Isabel had been outside dressed in black leather. Felicity was certain that it could be from stress, but she would rather think that she wasn't losing it…

"I'll check the area," Sara said.

"Be careful," Diggle called.

"Always am!"

Oliver's hand cupped her cheek. "You're safe."

"I know, I-"

"She's threatened you multiple times in the last couple of days," Oliver reminded. "It's normal for you to be stressed out and-"

"Be scared?"

"Being scared is normal," Diggle spoke up.

"I hate being scared," Felicity told him and wiped the tears away with her free hand. It seemed like she'd been scared and stressed far too much. She reminded herself that she had control. Felicity knew that though. She had a feeling that it was just that her morning was being crashed...they had Sara and Diggle there as bodyguards, but then for Isabel to make an appearance… Sometimes you just needed your day to go well.

Today wasn't one of those days.

. . .

"You know, no offense to Digg," Felicity chattered along as they walked through the parking lot of Verdant. With the club now open and bustling, they had to park on the other end of the parking lot. She made a mental note to suggest that they had their own designated parking spots. VIP status or something. "But it's a little less bodyguard-y with you along… Not that I don't love him…" She stared at Sara for a long moment. "You know, in a brother-sister kind of way… Not like I want to jump into bed with him or anything. I mean, because you two...and...I'm just going to stop talking now…"

Sara beamed at her. "You're fine," she assured. "I know what you mean… I mean, how can you NOT love John Diggle? Right? He's like one of the best guys I know, which isn't many."

"There really aren't a lot of them anymore, are there?"

"Nope." Sara looked over at her. "We're definitely the lucky ones."

Felicity grinned. They really were lucky. They'd purposely gotten there early in order to hang out with Thea before the club got even busier, it seemed impossible given the parking lot, but they'd seen it. There would be twice the number of people in less than an hour. Plus, there was a very small window between company time and Arrow business. "Do you think Thea's happy now?" she asked. Sara had been helping her out quite a lot, that was when she wasn't protecting Felicity. There was also the fact that the Lances had grown up alongside the Queens and Tommy...so she could see Thea confiding in her.

"Oh, I think she's thrilled...and Roy too," Sara told her as they navigated around cars. "Don't you think so?"

Felicity nodded. "I think that it helps…"

"Busy ALWAYS helps," Sara assured.

She opened her mouth to say something and the words just hung in her mouth as Isabel Rochev dressed in black leather appeared. Right there, in public. Other people could see her, though they seemed to be hurrying towards the club entrance. She and Sara just stopped in their tracks and that's when two black clad assassins appeared near her. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Stay close," Sara whispered as she grabbed Felicity's arm.

"Sara-"

Felicity would have felt so much better if she had her bow and quiver with her, but at the same time...she knew that she couldn't carry them everywhere with her. She also couldn't sprint towards Verdant's entrance and possibly put all of the patrons inside at risk...let alone her sister and Roy. Felicity knew that she couldn't do that. She wouldn't risk it. She had to keep them safe.

"I told you that you'd be seeing me," Isabel told them. She was smug and confident and Felicity had no idea how she was still so gorgeous. No wonder she could get guys to do anything. Isabel Rochev obviously used every asset at her disposal to get what she wanted.

"Isn't this a little...public, Talia?" Sara asked as she looked around.

Isabel started to walk towards them. Her assassin duo following a few steps behind her. Felicity wasn't scared though. She just didn't want this to be public. Isabel tilted her head, a smile still firmly on her face. "Does that make you both nervous?"

"Your father-"

"You DO NOT speak of my father! Or FOR my father!" Isabel snapped at Sara. She was angry now and Felicity had no doubts that there was going to be some kind of conflict.

"What do you WANT?" Felicity asked.

This seemed to amuse Isabel, Felicity knew that that couldn't be a good sign. She even laughed for a moment. "What do you think I want? I want to hurt your boyfriend...or is he your fiance now?" Isabel laughed again. "Don't worry...he won't make it to the wedding date without sleeping with his assistant and who knows who else first… I know first hand how...insatiable he can be…"

Felicity hated Isabel Rochev.

It was beyond official.

Before Felicity could even fathom of a retort, Isabel and her minions started to come after them. Sara placed Felicity between her and a vehicle. Sara was fending off all three of them and Felicity hoped that people who were hurrying past them and into the club were actually calling the police. Maybe the sirens would scare them off at the very least.

Felicity's scream seemed to echo through the parking lot as she was yanked from where Sara had placed her. The reaction was merely because of the surprise of it. It wasn't just Isabel and her two minions...she'd brought more 'friends' along with her. Pulling in a deep breath, she tried to force herself to calm and think of what she needed to do. She started by using the only weapon that she had, her purse.

Her purse didn't really last long, but it was enough to really make her feel a little more powerful until she was forced into direct hand to hand combat. Felicity focused on the words that she remembered both Oliver and Merlyn saying. Then it was like everyone was giving her notes as she fought off the assassins.

Oliver.

Merlyn.

Sara.

Diggle.

They were all in her head. They were all telling her the things that she needed to do. Felicity kept herself aware of her surroundings and how Sara was doing, but really...she was pushing out the universe around her. Right now, keeping herself on her feet and alive was what mattered. It wasn't until there was a reaction from the assassins fighting her that broke her concentration enough to hear the high piercing sounds of the police sirens.

The assassins retreated to where Isabel was. For the first time ever, Felicity realized that Isabel was wearing a face that she hadn't seen before. "I'm impressed… You aren't as useless as I've always thought you were…" Isabel told her directly. A smile crossed her face. "You're going to be fun to play with… I'll know that I don't have to go so easy…" Her attention turned to Sara. "You still have a chance to keep from having yourself labeled a traitor to my father! Think of my sister…"

Felicity sucked in breath and looked over to Sara. She looked almost heart broken. When she looked back, Isabel and the assassins were gone. "Of course," she whispered to herself. The sirens were blaring now and the lights were close. Felicity took a few steps towards Sara and reached out to touch her shoulder. "You okay?" Sara nodded. "What are we going to tell the police?"

"The truth," Sara told her. "We were attacked in the parking lot."

"By ninjas?" Felicity questioned.

Sara shrugged. "It's technically the truth, right? They were wearing black…"

"Just making sure we're on the same page…"

"And IF the police ask you if you defended yourself, just tell them that I've been teaching you," Sara told her.

Felicity was sure that Sara was hoping the same thing she was. That Quentin Lance was going to be among those arriving with the Starling City Police. There were at least four cars coming, so at least that helped with the odds. Or at least she hoped that it did. "It IS the truth," she reminded and let out a sigh. Felicity moved over and retrieved her purse and the contents that had spilled out. Once she'd gathered it, she looked over her shoulder to Sara. "Any chance you think we can avoid Oliver finding out about this?"

"I'm fairly sure he probably already knows," Sara said and nodded and pointed towards the club.

As she straightened, Felicity could see Thea and Roy at the club's entrance. They were holding the crowd inside and Thea was on the phone. There was no doubt, given Thea's face, that she was on the phone with Oliver at that very moment.

"Today sucks," Felicity grumbled.

"It's not over yet," Sara reminded.

Crap.

The sound of car doors shutting turned her attention towards where the police lights still shone. Starling City Police filtered towards them and the familiar face of Sara's father came into view. He was immediately hurrying towards them when he saw them.

"Are you two okay?" Quentin asked. He'd pushed past several other cops to get to them first. He turned back to the other cops. "It's my daughter...and...well, she's practically my other daughter…" He paused. "Can I just have a minute with them?"

"Do we need to get an ambulance here?" one of the officers asked.

Sara and Felicity exchanged looks. "I think we're both fine."

"You're sure?" Quentin asked.

Felicity nodded.

The other cops seemed to give them some space, but Felicity was sure that that wasn't going to last for very long. "Are you two okay?" Quentin asked. "What happened? People said you were attacked...by those ninjas…"

"Assassins," Felicity corrected. After all, Quentin Lance already knew about the League of Assassins. He looked shocked and even more concerned right now.

"The witnesses said that two women were being attacked, but they were fighting back."

"Uh, yeah," Sara said slowly. "I've been kinda teaching Felicity some self defense…"

"I suppose that's smart…"

"Do you think that maybe we could just go?" Felicity asked. She kept looking towards Thea and knew that she was worried. All she wanted to do was to tell her sister that she was okay and hug her. She was fairly sure that she needed it just as much as Thea, maybe more.

Quentin shook his head. "We've got to take statements from both of you."

"Dad-" Sara started to complain.

"Did you happen to see any of them. Someone said one of them was a woman," Quentin said as he flipped through his notebook.

"Isabel Rochev," Felicity spoke up.

"Isabel Rochev...as in, the woman who took over Queen Consolidated?" Quentin asked in confusion.

Felicity nodded. If Isabel was coming for her, then she wasn't going to keep quiet about that. She didn't need to tell Quentin everything, but she felt like it made her feel a little less crazy after the day she was having. "But she's dangerous."

"REALLY dangerous, Dad," Sara emphasized.

"She came after you both, Sara, I can't just drop it," Quentin told his daughter.

Felicity took a step towards him and reached out to cover his hands with hers. "Then don't," she whispered. "But let the Arrow handle it… I don't want you or any other officer to get hurt by Isabel Rochev or one of her assassin friends because of me." She looked into his eyes and pleaded with them. "Please."

Quentin looked frustrated, but he finally nodded. "But if you two are in trouble. If you need help-"

"We'll call you, I promise, Dad," Sara assured.

He sighed. "You still need to give statements," he said quietly and motioned towards the other officers who were all socializing between a set of police cars.

. . .

His hands were on either side of her face and she could see the pain and worry all over his face. She could see the guilt eating him up. Felicity hated that. "I'm okay," she whispered. Felicity had no idea what Thea told him, but he looked like...she couldn't even describe how scared he looked. It was a lot like when he was carrying her off of the ship. There were mixed emotions.

Oliver pulled her close and kissed her forehead. He held her and swayed as her arms wrapped around him. "She shouldn't have gone after you…" he whispered.

"I'm not hurt," she whispered. Felicity squeezed him for a moment and then pulled away from him. In truth, she wanted him to hold her and just stay like that for the rest of the night, but he was too hung up on Isabel and how she'd come after her. They knew that it was a possibility and they were pretty damn sure it was going to happen or otherwise Sara wouldn't have been protecting her. "I remembered everything you taught me. I just wished that I had had my bow with me," she told him.

"I shouldn't have put you in danger-"

"Oliver!" she screamed. Felicity was frustrated because she knew that he wanted to protect her, but the truth was that he just couldn't all of the time. She needed him to know that she could be strong without him there. That she could do this.

He seemed to blink and just look confused at her for a moment.

"I did fine!"

"She really did do fine," Sara spoke up. "She didn't panic and she held two of them off until the police arrived and scared them off… You should be PROUD."

Felicity didn't miss the eyeing going on between Sara and Oliver.

"She's not hurt, Oliver," Diggle spoke up. "I don't like the idea of Felicity OR Sara being hurt…but they're both okay." His voice was calm and even as he spoke up. "If Sara said that she did fine, then she did-"

"No!"

They all turned towards the stairs. Thea and Roy were standing there, Tommy was standing behind them. Thea had been the one to shout. Felicity hadn't expected them down there since the club was still quite busy even after the police showing up and questioning about half of the club. Thea was crying, her make-up was running, and she looked flat out horrible. Felicity had thought that her sister was okay. She'd talked to her and had the chance to hug her once she'd given her report to the police.

"I don't want you to be FINE," Thea said. She sounded angry. "You've done all of this because of Merlyn… You trained and you learned, but you don't HAVE to do that anymore, Felicity! I don't want to lose you!" She looked to Oliver now. "How can you be okay with this?!"

"He's not."

Now Tommy was speaking and he seemed far too calm. Felicity knew that he wasn't going to approve or be proud of her. He looked pretty close to how Oliver looked. They'd had a long couple of days. It wasn't even the merger that she was thinking of. She was thinking of all the run-ins with Isabel. Isabel had pretty much proven that she could get to Felicity anywhere.

"What are we going to do now?" Tommy asked Oliver.

Oliver sighed and turned away from all of them. "I honestly don't know."

"Oliver! You have to have SOME kind of idea on how to keep Felicity safe!" Thea went on. She was overly emotional and it was more than showing.

"Thea, we'll figure it out-" Felicity tried, but Thea interrupted her before she could finish her sentence.

"How can you be so calm? They could have KILLED you! This isn't even about US! This is about Merlyn!" Thea went on as she moved towards Felicity.

"It's not about Merlyn," Oliver told Thea as he turned back around. "Not entirely. This about me, too."

"Then YOU need to FIX it!" Thea said. "I'm not losing any of you!" She wiped tears away and Felicity tried to hug Thea, but her little sister just wouldn't have it.

"Thea…" Felicity said quietly.

"You don't get to hug me if you're just going to go out there like it's nothing and put yourself in harm's way again," Thea told her sister.

"Thea, she's had Sara with her ALL day long," Tommy said as he walked towards the rest of them. Roy was following him. "If the two of them were okay-"

"WHY are you not making a big deal of this?!" Thea exploded as she turned to face Tommy.

Roy spoke up for the first time. "Thea! She's okay!"

"That's not the point!" Thea told him.

Felicity was quiet and suddenly felt like Moira Queen was smiling somewhere. Thea wanted Felicity to retreat. She was certain that Moira would point out that a proper Queen woman would go into hiding and stay safe for many reasons… "It's my life...and it's my choice…" Felicity said quietly. "And I need your support."

Silence.

"She's right."

Malcolm Merlyn was now standing behind Tommy and Roy dressed in all black. His assassin garb had been altered and there was distinctive green leather accenting. Felicity really wasn't sure how to feel about that. All she knew was that she really didn't want to hear anything from him if he was going to tell her that she had to go into hiding too.

"Crap, we need better security," Diggle muttered.

"I really don't want to talk to you right now," Thea told Merlyn angrily.

"I think she speaks for pretty much everyone," Tommy added as he turned towards their father. "Even IF these assassins were just here for Oliver...they probably wouldn't be going after Felicity so much if they thought she was just some girl who worked with Oliver or was even dating him. They're targeting her more because of YOU."

"They probably are," Merlyn said matter of factly with a shrug. "Being a Merlyn is both a blessing and a curse. Just like being a Queen…" He paused and smiled at all of them. "But don't worry, I've come to help…"

. . .

TBC…


	40. Daddy Knows Best

It seemed like whenever night fell, Talia al Ghul would release the group of assassins she'd brought with her from Nanda Parbat. These assassins were trained to kill and trained to get in and then just disappear. The League of Assassins were far too public here in Starling City and Merlyn still couldn't believe that Ra's al Ghul was letting that stand. Of course, Talia was his favorite…

He'd been trained in Nanda Parbat. That was where he'd been trained and been reborn after his beloved Rebecca's death. Fighting those Talia had brought along with her was nothing for Merlyn. At least not when he was handing them one at a time. It hadn't gone beyond his notice that Oliver and Sara seemed competent enough to hold their own, though they'd both gone through their own respective rebirths and risen from their own ashes.

He was about to say something about it being too easy when an unexpected played appeared in the streets. Apparently Talia wasn't the only one who had returned to Starling City to finish what they had started.

Slade Wilson.

Merlyn had also heard him referred to as Deathstroke. It was fitting, he thought as he moved towards Wilson's position. He watched as the assassins started to disappear. It was a bit odd not being with them and even odder being allied with a man that he'd wanted to end, the Hood not Oliver.

Oh how things had changed.

He joined Oliver and Sara as they started to attack Wilson. The fight was futile even with the three of them attacking Wilson in concert. It was useless and Merlyn wondered why Oliver hadn't brought his own Mirakuru filled archer in training along. Merlyn felt like having a Mirakuru super solider on their side would have evened things out.

At least his kids were somewhere else. Merlyn knew that he'd never see Tommy or Thea out there in the streets...it was probably for the best, but he had Felicity. Even with all of her training, he still was happy that she wasn't there. Merlyn feared that she would be a distraction and that he'd be too busy worrying that she was okay. It was likely that he wouldn't be the only one distracted by that thought.

"Merlyn!" Oliver was yelling.

No matter how far or how hard Wilson kept hitting him, Merlyn kept getting back up. He didn't like backing down or admitting defeat. Wilson HAD to have a weakness. It was all just a matter of observing his opponent and deciphering it. Just because Oliver and Sara were retreating, it didn't mean that he had to.

"Merlyn!"

"Come back to the Foundry," Felicity's voice suddenly filled his ear. She sounded worried and upset. He wondered if she was hating being back at the Foundry at the computer. "You can't handle Slade on your own! We NEED a better plan! Come back!"

He ignored her.

. . .

"What the HELL were you THINKING?!" she exploded at him the minute he stepped into the Foundry.

He was banged up and hurt fairly badly for a one on one fight and had to eventually admit defeat and retreat. Merlyn smiled at her and held out his arms wide open to her. He was so happy to see her and so touched by her concern.

"I said to COME BACK to the Foundry," Felicity told him after a moment and incredibly slowly. "OLIVER told you to retreat! WHY didn't you? DO you have some kind of insane death wish? Because facing Slade Wilson alone is pretty much asking to be killed!"

Merlyn dropped his arms after a minute, figuring that Felicity wasn't going to embrace him. They'd have to work on that normal family tradition of hugging. He'd never actually been one to show affection to his children, especially not through physical acts such as hugging, but there was something about having daughters… Or maybe it was just women… Rebecca had made him feel like that too. Felicity was being irrational right now, which he suspected was because she was so worried about him right now. She'd probably been worried that he'd died.

"Roy should have been out there with us," Merlyn said slowly. "If he had been, this would have been over."

"He's a liability," Oliver's voice echoed through the Foundry. He and Sara appeared a moment later.

"I thought you've been training him?"

"He's not ready," Oliver countered as he approached.

Merlyn figured that he'd returned to the Foundry before them because they'd stayed around to observe him in action up against an adversary like Slade Wilson. He couldn't blame them. They probably saw something that they could learn from.

"Were you ready when you washed up on that island?" Merlyn challenged.

Oliver took another step towards him so that they were only a foot apart. "THat's not the same!"

He was confused as to why Oliver seemed so angry with him and why he was so insistent on babying Roy. He didn't need babying, he needed experience. Maybe it was because he'd brought up Lian Yu that had made Oliver so upset, there was no doubt that Oliver had been through quite an ordeal during those years on the island. Merlyn wondered if Oliver realized what a gift he'd been given. Perhaps Oliver just was protect of his apprentice though. Whatever the problem, Merlyn was sure that they could work it out.

"You KNOW Slade Wilson, but I don't know from WHERE," Merlyn said as he studied Oliver and Felicity. "Perhaps you weren't so alone on that island…"

"YES, I know him from the island," Oliver snapped. "I don't think that matters right now!"

"And Talia?"

"What about her?!"

"Did you know Talia from the island, too?"

Merlyn was certain that Oliver didn't know Talia past her alias as Isabel Rochev. Though, it WAS fun to push his buttons, especially in front of Felicity. Even though he'd always liked Oliver, he felt like Oliver needed to prove himself so much more now as a person to Merlyn.

"No," Oliver said quietly.

"You were quite the playboy years ago and I know of at LEAST five women you've been with since returning to Starling City. One of them is Talia-"

"She was Isabel to me and it didn't mean anything-"

"Meaningless sex doesn't make it BETTER," Merlyn argued.

He was testing Oliver. Oliver needed to be committed. Merlyn looked back behind Oliver and Felicity to see Sara standing there and looked uncomfortable. She probably wasn't too thrilled about working with him or the current topic of conversation, but they ALL had to be on the same page.

"And Sara?" Merlyn questioned. He could practically see Oliver's blood boil at that question. "Was that just meaningless sex, too?"

Oliver practically exploded as his hand pushed against Merlyn's throat and he slammed him back against the nearest wall. "SHUT. UP."

Merlyn just smiled and let out a small laugh. "Touchy… Maybe you still have feelings for her-" Oliver pushed harder and made it more difficult for him to speak. That didn't matter, he was causing enough of a scene and he was watching his daughter's reaction.

"Stop!" Felicity shouted out.

Daddy's little girl.

He watched as tears fell from her eyes as Oliver loosened his hold. "Do you STILL go to her?" Merlyn pushed while he had the chance. "Late at night, do you two duck away somewhere to sate your appetite? I know my daughter isn't the one satisfying your needs!"

Oliver wanted to kill him. Merlyn could see it in his eyes. His hand hadn't tightened again, but Merlyn KNEW that Oliver wanted to do it. Felicity was the one holding Oliver back. Merlyn didn't know whether to be thankful or not.

"Stop!" Felicity screamed again before a sob escaped her lips. She covered her mouth and turned away, tears still falling down her face.

He just hoped that Felicity wasn't hurt by what he was saying. Merlyn just wanted to show her the truth around her. Felicity was blinded by her love for Oliver and he just wanted to really look around her and think. Things were never as perfect as people saw them.

"She DESERVES to know WHO you are," Merlyn told Oliver. "ALL of you. EVERY demon inside of you."

"I know," Oliver whispered and released Merlyn. "But you're right… Sara and I haven't been together since Felicity's been back." Oliver looked towards Felicity and Sara. "I will NEVER cheat on her."

"I know."

Oliver's head snapped back around. "You know?"

Merlyn smiled and nodded. "I know exactly the man you are, Oliver-"

"Then why would you-"

Oliver's sentence was cut off by the police scanner going crazy. The police were reporting more ninjas popping up in various locations.

"Go," Felicity said. "I'll call Diggle."

He still had the biggest smile on his face when Oliver turned and headed out with Sara following after him. Merlyn waited a moment before he started to follow.

"You stay."

Merlyn stopped in his tracks and turned to his daughter. "Excuse me?"

"YOU'RE a liability out there," Felicity told him as she closed the distance between them. The tears were gone, but the anger was still there. It was good. That fire would help keep Felicity alive. One day, she'd learn how to properly harness it. "And what the HELL did you think you were accomplishing with everything you said?!"

"It needed to be said," he told her matter of factly.

"What?" Felicity questioned.

"He needed to state his loyalty to you and SHE needed to know that he's never going back to her."

"Who? Sara?" Felicity asked. She paused for a moment and seemed to be battling a range of emotions. "Sara is with Diggle! They're happy! Sara and I are friends! She'd NEVER do that! you don't KNOW her!"

"The Queen money… ANY family with money makes people do unthinkable things, Felicity."

"Not everyone is like you," Felicity whispered and turned her back to him.

Merlyn laughed for a moment. "They only WISH they had my last name… My fortune…"

"No," Felicity said quietly over her shoulder. "Not all of us play chess games with the world like you do…" He watched her as she moved back to her computer and sat down.

They were both now alone together in the Foundry and he'd make sure that he took full advantage of that time with her.

. . .

His home should have been a sanctuary for him. It should have been filled with peace, comfort, and familiarity. It wasn't. He found none of that in his empty mansion. Instead, in their places were darkness, loneliness, and ghosts that haunted him at every turn. When he was home, he really didn't have much to do besides to train.

Merlyn normally would expect Oliver and Felicity to show up, but he didn't think they'd show today. Not after the last week had gone. But maybe that was for the best. He still needed to talk to Ra's al Ghul about their deal and how he felt like it was being broken by Talia and Slade. If there was a way to change the deal so that it didn't involve his children, then he'd find a way to make it happen.

He couldn't have anymore ghosts haunting him in that house…

The sound of the bell ringing echoed through the empty house and eventually he made it to the door after he'd checked the camera. He'd been shocked at who was on his door step. Maybe he hadn't screwed up so badly. Felicity hadn't talked to him for two days, but there she was...just like she'd promised for dinner.

Merlyn put a smile on his face before he opened the door and just beamed at her. "I would have prepared something if I knew I was going to have company tonight," he told them and motioned for them to come inside.

"I figured you wouldn't be expecting company," Felicity said.

Tommy walked in the house and seemed very hesitant and then held up the bag of food they'd brought along. "We brought Chinese though."

"It's supposed to be authentic…" Felicity explained as the door was closed. "I told them it was okay if they were a bit less authentic…"

Merlyn smiled at her. "Maybe we could go one day and you could taste the real thing."

"Does it come with a cookie?" she asked him a bit uninterested.

She was adorable. Merlyn didn't know how he was so lucky to have Felicity in his life, but he was thankful for it. He still had a huge hole in his heart because of the loss of Rebecca...but his children seemed to slowly be mending his heart, though he didn't think it could ever really be fully patched.

"I hope you have drinks," Tommy told him.

Merlyn didn't miss the fact that Tommy put an arm around Felicity and led her further into the house. He followed them a moment later. They both seemed sad, but he was determined to make up for that before they left. He'd have smiles on their faces and they'd be back another night for dinner sooner rather than later.

As they entered the formal dining room, Merlyn wished so desperately that the world could be different. He remembered the splendor that he once lived in. The house used to be tended by servants and it was completely staffed. The dining room would never hold the beautiful dinners that it once held. Every night was a special occasion back then. But he was dead to the world… He still felt like he could change things. Skew things in his favor. Maybe the world wouldn't hate him so much if he redeemed himself to the people of Starling City.

"You know, I am very happy about the merger," Merlyn told them as he took his seat at the head of the table.

Tommy looked over at him and seemed happier to Merlyn. It was the girl he was seeing, Merlyn was sure. "You're not upset about the name change?"

The truth was that it had stung a bit, but he was trying to turn over a new leaf with his children. If he wanted to have any contact with his children, he knew that the ones that he really needed to connect with where the ones that were in front of him. Thea was still young enough, she still needed time… She'd come around in time.

"No," he lied and put a smile on to push the lie. "Queen International has a certain ring to it…"

"We considered Queen Global, but-"

"It's not quite the same…" Merlyn interrupted. "Plus, rebranding Queen Consolidated probably makes things much easier for you." He watched as Felicity and Tommy exchanged looks for a moment as they set out the food on the table.

"It is actually," Felicity said slowly.

"Well, anything that makes you happy...it makes me happy…" He looked to Tommy. "And what a legacy for Robert Queen… I mean, the world might THINK I'm dead, but I'm not...but Robert...my dear friend...he would have been so proud of you children. I really think that you need to push honoring him when you do your ceremony or gala...or both."

"That's not a bad idea…"

Merlyn settled back in his seat and just smiled.

. . .

TBC…


	41. The Key to the City

"Roll call, Guys," Felicity announced.

It was something that she'd started to do, just so that she could really keep track of where everyone was. Even when everyone was at the same location, there were times where not everyone could see the others. That became a problem. Felicity just wanted them to be as safe as possible and to ensure that everyone came home okay.

As everyone reported in, Felicity pinned them on her digital map on her left screen. It was also useful because she could layer her maps together to look for any kind of patterns. So far, nothing had shown up but she knew that that meant nothing. Something could appear later.

"Everyone checking in okay?"

Felicity turned to see Tommy with a cup of coffee held out for her as he dragged the other computer chair. This had become a regular thing for them. Tommy didn't feel right in Verdant, he'd even told her that it made him feel too old being up there. It wasn't every night, but it was often enough that he was down there. She still hadn't figured out if it was because she was down there and everyone else was out in the field or if he just needed to feel like he was doing something.

"So far," Felicity told him and took the coffee from him. "I didn't think you were going to come tonight."

"My plans changed."

She was about to sip her coffee, but ended up looking over at him instead. Felicity waited for another moment to pass before she asked her question. "Please tell me that you didn't cancel with her—"

"No. No," he said quickly and waved a hand as he shook his head. "She's got the flu or something… I offered to take her over soup or something and she insisted that I stay away. She doesn't want me to get it."

"That's sweet," Felicity told him with a smile.

"I had soup sent over though anyways. I told them to have the delivery guy to knock and tell her it was there and to just leave it at the door, so she didn't have to worry about passing the contagion."

She laughed. "You make it sound like the plague!"

"That's how she made it sound!" he defended a moment later with a laugh.

"I'm glad that Melanie makes you so happy," Felicity told him sincerely.

He was quiet for a moment and she watched as he seemed to study her screens. "It's been a long time, you know? Not since Laurel…which just sounds sort of funny when I say it out loud," Tommy admitted. He looked at Felicity. "Oliver and I have so much in common and I guess we both had a 'Laurel period' in our lives… I'm happy for her, I am. It's just almost a little odd to go forward with my life with someone that I never met before now… Does that make sense?"

"Change is hard," Felicity explained. "I know what you mean, though. When I was younger, there was a time that I couldn't imagine not living in Las Vegas… When I came to Starling City, I didn't know anyone. I'm glad I did that. It was hard…but it was more than worth it…"

"You don't ever think about how many it would have been easier? You wouldn't have found out about my dad or—"

"I would make all the choices I made all over again if it meant getting to where I am right now…if it meant having the friends and family I have right now," Felicity clarified. She was talking about Oliver, Team Arrow, Tommy, and Thea…of course…not Merlyn.

Tommy nodded.

They were both quiet for a moment and Felicity's attention turned back to her screens as she listened to chatter between everyone out in the field. Her fingers ran across the keyboard as she updated positions and typed in notes. Her attention was drawn then to her cell phone on the desk as it sounded.

Detective Lance.

She picked it up and pressed it against her ear. "Detective?"

"Ms. Smoak, I was wondering if you've seen our mutual friend today?"

"I've seen him today," Felicity told him.

"I've been trying to contact him directly, but it goes to voicemail…and his voicemail box hasn't been set up yet," Lance told her and he sounded irritated at that fact.

Felicity looked towards the screen. "He's probably just busy, but I'd be more than happy to pass along something to him."

"Tell him that I want a meeting."

"Any rooftop in particular?"

. . .

Felicity paced the selected rooftop nervously. Oliver was unable to make the meet as the Arrow and so she'd gone in his place. She really wasn't sure how Lance would take it, but hopefully he wouldn't be too upset. Right now, he was late though. With Isabel and Slade back with the League of Assassins gang, it seemed like she hardly ever saw anyone from Team Arrow at night. She saw Oliver during the day, but most nights he was gone once he changed into the green leather and then she was asleep by the time they made it back to the Foundry.

"You're not exactly who I expected to see here when I requested a meeting with the ARROW."

She jumped slightly in surprise and turned to look at him. Felicity had her hand over her chest and suddenly felt like she'd learned nothing from Merlyn or Oliver. Of course, she'd felt like she was in a SAFE place, so she figured that she couldn't beat herself up TOO much.

"He couldn't make it…unfortunately," Felicity said slowly. She put on a smile for him. "I'm a good alternative, right?"

"Not really…"

Felicity frowned.

"She's the brains of the whole operations, I'd listen to her," came a voice.

It took Felicity a moment to figure out exactly where Sara's voice was coming from. After a moment, Sara moved from the shadows. She was wearing the Canary costume, sans the mask. "I didn't know you were coming…"

"Figured that you could use some back up in case he gave you a hard time," Sara explained as she gestured towards where Lance was standing.

He gave her an irked look in response. "I was just trying to find out what's going on in town with all of those ninjas…"

"Assassins," Felicity and Sara corrected in unison.

Quentin Lance stared at them for a long second. "Whatever…"

"They're not the only ones in town," Felicity explained. "Slade Wilson and Isabel Rochev are out there, too. They're all working together."

"So, what are we supposed to do?"

"Stay out of their way," Sara warned. "Let US deal with them."

"There's how many of you? And how many of them? You can't do it all yourself!"

"Dad, we really can take care of ourselves…and this city," Sara told him.

"They've attacked you in broad daylight! I want to help!"

Felicity had remained quiet because she didn't feel like it had anything to do with her, but she felt the need to speak up. "Trust us, Detective," Felicity said gently. "You should know that the Arrow…all of us…we can take care of ourselves…" She paused. "I've learned a lot…I'm getting pretty good at defending myself…at least when I'm prepared…"

Quentin seemed amused by this. "You know that we can't just NOT do our jobs, right? We're the police…"

"Slade and Isabel are the more dangerous ones," Felicity told him. "Just put it out to your officers that if they're spotted to let our team take over…"

He nodded. "I can work with that."

. . .

"No one's checked in, in a while…" Felicity said as she looked towards Tommy. "They should be back by now… The police scanner hasn't even gone off in an hour."

"So, do another roll call," Tommy suggested.

He'd held down the Foundry and sat at her desk while she went to meet with Lance, but other than that…they'd been sitting there going over things. Tommy didn't quite know how they did things, so it was good for him to learn…just in case. She knew that he hoped that there was never a just in case that meant that she was out in the field, but Tommy might be needed again to take over if they had another needed meeting with Lance and she was the one who could go.

The sound of the door opening at the top of the stairs caught her attention. She turned in her chair and waited to see who had entered. She knew that it COULD be Thea, but she was counting on it being Oliver and their team… When Diggle and Roy appeared at the bottom of the stairs, she felt a sense of relief hit her. It only lasted a moment. Her stomach started to curl up when it hit Felicity that it was only the two of them. "Where's everyone else?"

"We haven't seen them," Diggle told her. "They're not here?"

"No," Felicity said a little worried. "I haven't heard from them since Sara and I left Detective Lance…"

"Try them…"

Felicity nodded, but almost didn't want to try to reach out for them. What if they didn't respond back? She opened the communications line and took a deep breath before speaking. "Roll call everyone," Felicity announced.

She waited, but no one ever responded.

"Where were they last?" Diggle asked.

She didn't waste any time bringing up the map and pointing out the last reported location of Oliver, Sara, and Merlyn. They had been out together and Felicity hoped that something hadn't happened because of Merlyn, he'd been cooperating as of late. Felicity looked from the map to Roy and Diggle. They were looking at the map and neither of them seemed to be reassuring in any way.

"Digg?" Felicity said and hoped that he had something good to say and his face was just stuck in blank mode.

"Roy and I came back through that area," Diggle told her slowly.

"We didn't see them," Roy finished. "That whole area was empty… It was creepy. I even made a comment about it."

"I just figured that they were already back here…" Diggle said. "They seemed to have cleaned up that area already…"

"Could something have happened?" Roy asked.

They were all quiet for a long moment. "Doesn't Oliver have a tracker in his boot?" Felicity asked Diggle. He seemed to think about it as he tilted his head to the side.

"If it's on…" Diggle responded. "But who could take Merlyn, Sara, AND Oliver?"

"Slade," Felicity whispered in sudden realization. "Or ARGUS…" She looked to Diggle and she knew that he'd know more on that front than she would. "I can try to pull cameras for the area…"

"It's the Glades," Roy pointed out. "There aren't going to be cameras…"

"Let's not get too ahead of ourselves. Let's try to contact them again… Maybe they were out of range or turned them off or something," Tommy said calmly.

Roy looked confused. "Why would they turn them off?"

"It's a possibility," Tommy responded. He looked between everyone. "Right? I mean, I would THINK you could turn it off."

"He's right," Diggle spoke up. "But I don't know WHY Oliver would do that."

Felicity opened her mouth to add to the conversation when their communications line lit up with a familiar voice. Dread immediately enveloped her and her stomach continued to knot.

"I know you can hear me."

Slade Wilson.

"You're probably wondering where your dear Oliver is…along with your father and Sara Lance."

She just looked around at the others and didn't know how to respond to that. Of course she was wondering where they were and now that she knew that Slade was involved, Felicity knew that being worried was warranted. She wanted to ask him where they were and if he'd hurt them…what he wanted…but she just didn't know what to say or if it was her place. He was obviously talking to HER because Slade had referred to Oliver as 'your dear Oliver' and had said 'father' instead of Merlyn's name.

"I could kill them all and end this now… Starling City will be mine."

"Slade! Don't hurt them!" she found herself shouting and then a question left her lips. "What do you want?"

"I want the one thing that will certainly mean the destruction of Starling City," Slade said in a confidant tone. "I want you, Felicity Smoak."

Felicity didn't know what to say to that.

Tommy quickly muted the communications so that Slade couldn't hear their conversation. "You're NOT doing it."

"I have to," she said without thinking about it as she turned to her brother. "It's Oliver…and Sara…and Merlyn. We need them."

"There has to be another way," Tommy pushed. He stared at her for a long moment before looking towards the other. "Please talk some sense into her!"

"He's right, you can't go with Slade," Diggle told her.

"I won't be the destruction of Starling City," Felicity said a bit confused as she looked between all of them.

"I would have THOUGHT that this would have been an easy decision for you, Felicity," Slade said. "Perhaps you don't love Oliver as much as you play up for the public…"

Her thoughts were spinning and all she could think was that she needed to do this. She needed to get the others home.

"How are you even CONSIDERING it?!" Tommy exploded.

"You can't go out there by yourself, Felicity," Diggle told her. "Slade said that you'll be the destruction of the city and he's right… If you turn yourself over to Slade, think about how that's going to affect everyone… How it'll affect Oliver, Thea, Tommy, Merlyn…and not to mention…the rest of us." He was calm as he spoke and seemed to be trying to explain things to her as he saw them. "You turning yourself over to Slade WOULD destroy Starling City."

Felicity blinked. She had no idea how to respond to that.

"Don't do this to Thea, Felicity, please," Roy pleaded with her.

"I have training," Felicity reminded them. "I can—"

"He's got the Mirakuru!" Roy reminded. "You can't face him alone with just a bow and a quiver full of arrows!"

"I'm waiting," Slade's voice filled the room.

. . .

TBC…


	42. Suit Up

This was one of those times where they all needed masks and costumes to protect their identities. Diggle and Roy had put on hoodies, but Felicity got to the point where she just didn't care. It was late enough and she'd intended on not being seen. So she'd just changed into whatever was comfortable and that she knew she could move in, along with putting in contacts and leaving her glasses on the desk by the computer.

"I STILL think this is a bad idea," Tommy told them.

Felicity grabbed her quiver and bow. Right now, she was just thinking about their mission. Slade was going to meet them at a warehouse; Felicity just hoped that he brought Oliver, Sara, and Merlyn with him. They were already expecting a trap, but it seemed like the odds would be better if there was a possibility of freeing the others to help them. There was also no doubt in her mind that Isabel and her assassins would be lying in wait when they got there.

"We can't just sit here and do nothing," Felicity argued half heartedly. "Slade and Isabel aren't just going to stop. Now, we take the fight to them."

"In yoga pants?"

She frowned in response to Tommy's comment. It was beyond clear that she didn't have his approval, but the thing was…she didn't need it. Felicity loved her siblings, she did, even if she just found them…but she'd been living her life making her own choices for this long… Team Arrow had been through a lot together and there was bound to be more and more bad guys who captured them and injured them. It was going to just take some time to adjust to accepting that that was what came with being a part of the team.

"Let me deal with Slade," Roy spoke up.

"We work as a TEAM," Diggle corrected. "If we don't, then we'll all end up in the hospital or worse…"

Felicity knew that Tommy wasn't happy about her going out there against Slade, but she HAD to do it. "Are you sure you're going to be okay running things here?" she asked him.

"Just don't do anything risky…and check in…often," Tommy told her. She turned to leave, but he spoke up again. "And by the way, there's a rather large box that came with your name on it."

She turned around to see Tommy leaning back in her computer chair and motioning to a rather large box under the stairs. Felicity really didn't want to take the extra time to open it and everything, but at the same time…if they were going to do this…they might as well do it right. Setting down her bow, she headed over to it.

"What is it?" Roy asked.

"An early Christmas present," Diggle said as he moved to the box with her. He used a knife to slice through the tape.

Felicity opened the box and started to rifle through the packing peanuts. She pulled out a large plastic wrapped bundle and handed it to Diggle. She pulled out two other plastic wrapped bundles, turned to Roy and threw one at him.

"I don't get it, what are these?" Roy questioned.

"Suit up," Diggle responded.

"A suit? My OWN suit?!"

Diggle and Roy hurried to change, but Felicity took a moment to look over at Tommy. "Thank you."

"I figured if you were all going to go out and kick Slade's ass that you might as well look cool while doing it," Tommy told her with a smile. "I still expect you to be careful," he told her.

"I will."

. . .

The new suits definitely brought up the confidence level a bit. They all looked awesome, though Felicity was getting used to the feel of her suit. Oliver had ordered them after he'd gotten over her ordering the extra glass cases. Diggle had been the only other person who had known about it, but with special orders you never knew when they were going to get to you…until they got there.

Slade, Isabel, and their small assassin army were already at the warehouse when they arrived. Oliver, Sara, and Merlyn were restrained on their knees in the middle of the empty building. They had a plan, but Felicity wasn't sure it was going to work. It was really just the only way that she'd been able to convince the others to let her walk in there alone. Roy and Diggle were close, though, and were already lining up shots.

Laughter rung out between Slade and Isabel. Felicity stopped right inside of the warehouse, an arrow already on her bowstring ready to fire. She knew that it was a trap and wanted to be as ready as possible. Laughter hadn't been something that she'd prepared herself for though. Felicity didn't question it and instead just stood there waiting.

"They'll give anyone a bow and arrows these days," Isabel said as she walked towards Felicity. Felicity KNEW that the black leather clad Isabel was Talia al Ghul, but she couldn't get herself to switch the names in her head. "Aren't you adorable?!"

Felicity knew that she needed to let Isabel's comments bounce off of her. She concentrated on Oliver and the fact that she was doing this, so that he was released. "Slade, I'm here…that's what you wanted…"

"You didn't come alone," Slade said.

"Neither did you."

"You're pointing an arrow at me."

Felicity shrugged. "It won't hurt you."

He laughed in response. Slade looked over to where Oliver was. "I like this girl… She's stupid because she came here to trade HER life for yours, but I like her."

"Felicity, NO!" Oliver shouted.

Sara and Merlyn joined him in arguing for her not to do it, but she tried her best to push out their voices. She knew that she had to focus and their telling her 'no' or 'to stop' weren't helping with that. Felicity looked directly at Oliver and spoke calmly, "I know what I'm doing."

"I doubt it," Isabel spoke up as she walked around Felicity and back to Slade's side.

There was a commotion behind her and she knew that there were more assassins than those in front of her; likely they had engaged with Roy and Diggle. She'd expected it to be a trap and that's what it was. Isabel started towards her and Felicity let loose an arrow before readying herself to use her bow as a melee weapon.

Roy was engaging Slade and she could see Diggle using his knife to sever the restraints on the others. That was enough to keep her focused on her fight with Isabel. She remembered her breathing and her stance. Each step and each move, she thought of what Oliver and Merlyn had said to her when they'd been sparring. Felicity knew that she could do this.

As much as she focused on the fight with Isabel, she watched the others around her. She needed to know where everyone was and if she needed to try to breakaway and help in any way. It's what she knew had to be done even though she'd never done it in practice before. There had to be a first time for everything, right?

"Roll call, everyone!"

This was about the worst time for Tommy to be checking in with them, but she knew that he had to be nervous. Before they'd left the Foundry, they'd checked the area for cameras in order to keep an eye on things that way. There had been none. Slade had picked a well-concealed location, which had just strengthened their understanding that it was going to be a trap.

"We're all kind of busy," Felicity responded back.

"But everyone's together and alive?"

"Affirmative!" she shouted before using her bow to keep Isabel's sword away from her body.

"What kind of word is 'affirmative'? A 'yes' or a 'no' was what I was looking for," Tommy complained over the comms.

"Yes!" nearly everyone shouted together.

There was a beat of silence before Tommy spoke up again. "Geez! No need to yell!"

Felicity couldn't help, but to smile. She noticed that now Roy, Oliver, and Diggle were focusing on Slade and Sara was heading her way. The assassins were scurrying away left and right. "I think it's time for you to make your exit," Felicity commented.

"Not before I make my point!" Isabel spat at her as she pushed with both swords against Felicity's bow now.

She heard Sara's voice, but she didn't understand the language that Sara and Isabel spoke in. Sara was yanking on Isabel and trying to get her to stop her assault on Felicity, but it seemed like Isabel wouldn't have it. She only pushed harder. Felicity let out a scream as her arms felt like they were on fire as she fought to push back against Isabel. Felicity's bowstring was cut and it snapped back and cut her hands. She screamed and fell to the ground.

Isabel seemed pleased enough before turning to face Sara and push her away. It didn't take long before she was retreating, running after Slade.

Sara crouched down next to her and checked over her hands. "You're going to be okay," she told her firmly before helping Felicity to her feet.

Felicity was pissed. Her hands screamed at her, but she balled them up. She moved towards Roy, grabbed his bow from his hands, pulled an arrow from her quiver, readied herself, aimed, and finally let go. The arrow went flying through the air at Isabel as she fought with Oliver. Felicity held her breath as the arrow neared, if she was right…it would hit Isabel in the left shoulder.

It was just about to hit Isabel when Slade came out of nowhere and caught the arrow before it could hit Isabel. He laughed before looking between her and Oliver. "Pretty soon, they'll all be killers… I'll be able to ultimately take credit for that…" He motioned towards Merlyn. "I'm sure Daddy is proud…"

Isabel had disappeared as quickly as her assassins had. Slade was the only one left in the streets. Right now, she reminded herself, they had accomplished their mission. They had Oliver, Sara, and Merlyn back. Felicity forced herself to breathe and move towards Oliver. She grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back before he could think of going after him. "It's time to go home," she whispered.

. . .

TBC…


	43. Sleep Deprivation

"What time is it?"

"Four."

"I guess that's a good as time as any to start the coffee," she said sleepily.

Felicity sat up in bed and looked over at him, he was sitting on the edge of their bed in pajamas with a gun in his hand. She knew it was loaded; she didn't even have to ask. Felicity knew that the bow would have been too suspicious and much harder to carry around. He wasn't the only one with a gun standing watch. Tommy was on the couch in the living room and she was certain that Malcolm Merlyn was outside perched somewhere. There had been no discussions beyond the fact that she shouldn't have been ready to hand herself over to Slade…and the fact that she was in danger more than ever now.

"You could sleep for a couple more hours," Oliver whispered with his back to her, his focus on the window.

She reached out and lightly touched his shoulder. The next thing she knew, he had her pinned on the floor. It had been hard to keep from screaming and letting out more than a gasp at the sudden movement and the pain ebbing through her arm as Oliver twisted it. It only lasted for a moment and then his weight had been removed and his hands were off of her and she could hear him shuffle backwards.

"Felicity…" he whispered. "I didn't—"

"You're the one who needs more sleep," she told him as she pushed herself up to her feet and turned to him. Felicity ran her right hand along her left arm to try to push out the pain in it. She knew that he was sleep deprived…more than usual…and his stress level was probably at an all time high… She couldn't bring herself to bring mad at him. The only reason that he'd done that was because he'd been up all night and she feared that he was losing it. Felicity sat on his side of the bed and patted the space in the middle next to her. "Come sit with me."

"I didn't—"

"I know," she whispered. Felicity could see the tears forming in his eyes. He felt guilty and she knew that he hadn't meant it. There was no use in him torturing himself. "Come here…"

After a hesitant moment, he crawled into bed alongside her. He reached out and set the gun on her bedside table. She watched as he left it there, his hand shaky now. "I'm sorry," he whispered. His hand slowly and very so gently traced the arm that he'd twisted. She looked down when he made a face like he was angrier at himself, bruises had become to appear.

"It's okay," she whispered. She grabbed his hand and turned fully to him. Felicity sat up on her knees and held his face between her bandaged hands. "I'm OKAY. If you have to hear it, then I forgive you…but I know you didn't do it on purpose… You haven't slept… You're—"

"It doesn't excuse this," he said and his face seemed somehow even more upset.

Oliver Queen was extraordinarily good at beating himself up. Felicity sighed and leaned in to press his lips to his for a kiss. Their kiss deepened and lasted until Felicity felt her lungs burning for air. Even then, it was hard to let him go. She sat up straighter and kissed his forehead before sitting back down. "We have a lot to today to deal with at Queen Consolidated and I'd rather you actually have at least two hours of sleep and be only slightly grumpy rather than completely useless."

"Slade—"

"Oliver, we never talked about it—"

"You shouldn't have gone, but then I shouldn't have put you in the position where it was okay for you to go out to offer yourself to him," Oliver told her. "I NEVER want you to do that again. Please promise me."

"Diggle, Roy, and I handled ourselves pretty well," she pointed out. "Sara said we looked amazing." He didn't seem amused. "We're a TEAM, Oliver. You can't just bench me because things got a little close to home…"

"Felicity—"

"You've been training me, you know that I can handle myself," Felicity pushed. "I might not be as good as you or Sara or Merlyn or—"

"You're better than Roy," he admitted and his voice was gentle.

She was a little surprised that he'd said that, but she'd had a lot more training time than Roy and two different teachers. "Isabel has proven that I don't have to be dressed in leather carrying a bow… She could snatch me off the street. Me being out in the field shouldn't be a problem."

"I just…" He sighed and ran his hand over his face. "I just want to keep you safe… I don't think that's a horrible thing."

"It's not," she said gently as she ran her fingers through his hair. "But sometimes I'm going to be needed in the field."

"I'd really rather you not trade yourself for my life—"

"It was MY choice to make, Oliver."

"And if Slade had taken you? Killed you? I wouldn't have been able to live through that, Felicity."

"I love you, too," she told him and smiled at him. Felicity smiled brighter when he looked confused. "You love me, don't you?"

"Yes," he whispered. "I love you…more than I ever thought possible."

She settled back with her back up against the pillows up against the headboard and pulled him into her arms. "So, close your eyes… I'll bore you to sleep with all the details that we're going to have to go over later today…"

He smiled up at her and she hoped that he'd be okay. Slade seemed to weigh on Oliver's soul more than anything else in his past. Felicity leaned down and gave him a quick kiss. Her fingers slid over his eyelids and he finally complied. Fingers ran through his short hair as she started to go on about everything they would be talking about later when they went over more merger details. Eventually, she looked down and he was asleep.

"Sleep fast, my love," she whispered and kissed his forehead again before resting against the headboard. Her face turned up towards the ceiling before she finally closed her eyes and tried to sleep. She knew that it would likely only be another hour of sleep, but she'd happily take it.

. . .

They were all fairly well sleep deprived and it seemed like no amount of coffee and donut combination was going to get them to the point where they could productively work on the merger. Felicity wondered if they should have just all called out… She was fairly sure that even the CEO could call out. "Maybe we should just call it an early day," she suggested. She really could go for a nap…curled up in bed with Oliver's arms around her.

"I'm sorry," Tommy apologized. "I know that you really wanted to get the bulk done today. I just can't stop thinking about last night…"

"Neither can I," Oliver admitted.

Tommy was looking right at her now. "This is my second chance at life…and I have two beautiful and wonderful sisters and I just…I can't even fathom losing either of you…and last night—"

"We can't let fear rule our lives," she told him and then looked to Oliver as well. "Sometimes it's hard…but we can't."

"Can we agree to send Thea away at least?"

"You have fun trying to convince her to leave," Oliver told Tommy with a sigh. "Thea's not leaving without Roy…and in all honesty, right now…we NEED Roy…"

"They haven't targeted Thea so far," Felicity pointed out. "Just me."

Tommy looked out the window. "We all know that that doesn't mean anything… They could go after her next—"

"Don't," Felicity pressed firmly as she stared at her brother. She reached across the table and covered his hand with hers and squeezed gently.

He seemed to ignore her and turn his attention to Oliver. "What would your father say if he were here? I mean, I've found myself missing your day more and more since we've all been back…"

"But he's dead," Oliver said gently. "And he would probably want to protect Thea here rather than have her somewhere where he had no control over the situation."

"Don't you ever wish that you could have him back?"

Oliver shook his head. "How? There's no use in wishing in bringing him back when it's not even possible…" His sentence trailed off and she noticed the look between the two of them. "No," Oliver said firmly.

"What?" Felicity asked

"I talked to my father about bringing Robert Queen back the same way he brought me back, the only problem is…we don't have his body," Tommy explained.

"It's not right," Oliver said quickly. He paused. "Tommy, you know what I mean. I'm /overjoyed/ that you and I have this second chance…that you get to know sisters you didn't know you had…everything, but it's not right…and I don't think my dad could handle knowing that he had died for so long…and then brought back. The world has changed /too/ much. My /family/ has changed too much."

She hadn't known that it was possible to bring anyone they wanted back. It was certainly an opportunity and she didn't know Robert Queen, so she didn't think it was fair to try to weigh in on the situation. The thing was that Oliver and Tommy knew him best…or at least better than her.

Tommy went to argue. "Thea—"

"Do you /really/ think that she'd be okay with that?" Oliver questioned.

Tommy seemed to think for some time and then he finally looked crestfallen. "No," he whispered and covered his face with his hand. He took a moment and Felicity swore that he was crying as he covered his face. They'd had too much of the last two days and they were all sleep deprived and overly emotional. "I just… I guess I miss having a father who isn't well, Malcolm Merlyn."

. . .

She had /no/ idea how she'd gotten Oliver to agree to it, but they were out to dinner with Diggle and Sara. It was a double date and Felicity found herself relishing in the normalcy of it all. They'd skipped Arrow business for the night. Tommy was in the Foundry while Roy roamed the streets. They were on call if anything happened, gear was in Diggle's car, but they were hoping for a quiet evening.

"You look like you need to sleep for about a week," Diggle commented.

"Just a couple of hours," Oliver told him.

Felicity shook her head. "SEVERAL hours," she corrected. "And I'm still seriously thinking that we should go into QC late tomorrow… You could really use more like twelve hours of sleep."

"I can't sleep for that long."

She stared at him for a long moment before speaking. "You couldn't sleep and/or relax in bed for twelve hours if I were there?"

"Come on, Ollie," Sara spoke up. "You /know/ you would happily stay in bed for a week straight if Felicity was there…"

"I'll let you work on merger work on my tablet," Felicity told him, but made it sound like a good thing even though she knew it was probably the /last/ thing he wanted to do. She smiled at him and batted her eyes a bit for added effect.

He wrapped his arm around her and gave her a quick kiss. "I just get restless…"

"You need the sleep."

"If you don't sleep, then I'm not going to let you go out tomorrow night," Diggle told him seriously. "You two /really/ need to get some sleep. I'm sure I have a prescription that could knock you out…"

"Or we could /knock/ you out," Sara teased with a smile as she motioned like she was going to punch him.

She was glad that she wasn't the only one who was concerned about him. "You know what? We should do this kind of thing more often?"

"Eating?" Diggle asked.

Felicity smiled. "No. I mean /normal/ things. Things that people who don't wear leather and shoot arrows do…"

"I don't think I know how to do that," Oliver said seriously and then broke out into a smile a moment later.

"It /is/ hard to think about going out and doing normal things," Sara admitted. She picked up a fry and took a moment to eat it before continuing. "We barely have enough time to do laundry, fold it, and put it away…let alone any cleaning… I think I've been telling myself I'm going to vacuum for a week now."

"And I don't like the idea of having a maid," Diggle said. "We normally don't have anything that could reveal what we do at night at home, but still… I think I would feel like my privacy was invaded, even if the place was cleaner."

"I agree."

Felicity understood what Sara was talking about. They were having those same problems, though most of their clothes were dry cleaned, so that made the laundry part easier. Though, she'd had a hard time getting their bedding washed earlier in the week. It seemed like whenever she wanted to wash the bedding, it was time to sleep in it. Obviously, she needed to make sure that they got a second set. "It's so weird to think that /those/ are our problems…" Felicity pointed out.

"There /is/ a new food place near us," Oliver spoke up. "Every time we want to try it, they're closed."

"That's because we don't keep normal hours," Felicity reminded. "We're the only ones that run on Arrow time."

"Well, and Verdant," Sara added.

"Verdant isn't exactly where I'd want to go on a night off…"

"I don't know why, but I have to agree with Tommy," Sara said. "Verdant just makes me feel old now…"

Oliver laughed lightly. "Old and almost prudish… It feels like another life that clubs like Verdant were where Tommy and I spent all our time," Oliver spoke up.

"You know what we should do?" Diggle asked. "See a movie…in the theatre."

"In the theatre?" Oliver questioned.

"It could happen…"

Oliver laughed. "That's one thing that I don't think we'll ever be up to date on…"

"You wouldn't want to sit that long," Felicity pointed out.

"True," Oliver admitted as he tilted his head to the side.

"Going to a normal gym wouldn't be a horrible idea," Diggle brought up. "They /do/ have gyms that are open twenty-four hours."

Felicity crinkled up her nose. "That's the /last/ thing I want to do after our nights…/or/ on our days off… I get enough practice in as it is…"

"I'd go with you," Oliver told Diggle. He looked at Felicity with a smile. "I have to stay in shape…it takes a lot to be able to do that salmon ladder that you love so much."

"Well, if it's to improve your performance on the salmon ladder…go for it," she told him and shook her head. She /did/ love to watch him on that thing, but she didn't think extra hours at a gym was going to do anything crazy. His time on the island had taught him how to survive /and/ how to keep himself in top physical condition without a gym.

"Then Felicity and I will go to a movie," Sara told them.

"Or we could just stay in and eat ice cream," Felicity suggested.

That was actually sounding really good to her at the moment. She really just wanted to curl up with Oliver in bed and eat ice cream. Felicity was also tempted to take some Tylenol PM. She was achy, though she wasn't certain if it was from working out so much more now or the fact that she hadn't slept hardly at all. Sleep was just something that she knew that both of them really needed and would certainly enjoy. They'd actually get some work done at Queen Consolidated if they got sleep.

Everyone turned and looked at her. Felicity shrugged. "What? Ice cream is comforting…and it coats your stomach… If I'm going to sleep for more than eight hours, my stomach would probably appreciate being coated with tasty goodness."

Oliver smiled over at her. "I'll happily stop anywhere on the way home to get you ice cream if that's going to help you sleep."

"I'm serious about the sleeping pills…or knocking you out," Diggle told Oliver.

He was staring at her, his arm tightening just a bit around her. "I think we're going to be okay…"

"I'm also serious about grounding you from dressing up."

Oliver laughed. "You make it sound like Halloween."

"I'm sure sometimes it looks like that."

. . .

TBC…


	44. A Long Day At The Office

"Ah! Walter!" Oliver greeted as he got up from his desk and started to walk towards the older man. He smiled and held a hand out. Walter shook it and then embraced Walter.

"It's good to see you again! I'm glad that you know that you can call me to help. We're still family, after all," Walter told him with a smile. His accent was almost comforting, Oliver wasn't quite sure what it was about it, but it did.

Thinking back, whenever Oliver thought about taking over Queen Consolidated…it would have been when it was old and grey and when his father was finally ready to retire. Oliver had always imagined that if he had had any questions, Robert Queen would always be there to ask those question. Robert Queen was dead and he wasn't coming back. But he had other family. He had Walter. Walter had been chief financial officer when his father had run the company and then had stepped up as chief executive officer when he and his father had gone missing. He'd run Queen Consolidated for years and had done a wonderful job.

Sometimes Oliver wished that Walter would come back…

"Thank you for coming," he said as he motioned for Walter to sit down before he sat down as well. "Can I have my assistant get you anything? Coffee? Tea?"

"No, no, that's quite alright," Walter said dismissively with a wave of his hand and a slight shake of his head.

"I just wanted to sit down and talk to you about the future of Queen Consolidated."

"You mean, Queen International?"

Oliver chuckled and shook his head. "I will have to get used to that," he said slowly. The merger papers weren't completely finished and filed, so everything was still Queen Consolidated. "I just… You did such an amazing job… Believe me, Felicity complains about all the things I do wrong and how you would have done them correctly."

Walter let out a short laugh. "She is too kind!"

"It's actually Felicity in particular I wanted to discuss," Oliver told him. He knew what Tommy would say and he knew how Felicity would react, but he needed to make sure that they were being smart. He couldn't talk to his mother about anything because; well…she WAS his mother and didn't approve of Felicity.

"What about her?"

Oliver took a moment. He didn't want Walter to take what he said the wrong way, so he was careful how he formed his sentence. "I just…before we go forward…I wanted to know what YOU thought about Felicity's place in the company. How it looks to the outside world… How it might affect things…"

"Are you REALLY that concerned about what the world thinks?"

"Well, not exactly…" Oliver said as he shook his head lightly.

"It's Moira…and Malcolm…they're the ones who have you concerned."

It WAS easier that Walter knew what was going on, even though he'd rather shield him from the evils that it seemed like his mother and Malcolm Merlyn seemed to be able to churn up at a moment's notice. "Yes… I just want to make sure that my mother doesn't have another thing to use against us… She's so hard on Felicity—"

"I have no idea why Moira seems to dislike Felicity so vehemently," Walter told him. "She's such an intelligent and kind-hearted young woman."

"I just wish that my mother saw her the same way that you do," Oliver told him gently.

Walter tilted his head slightly as he seemed to think about it. "Though, I wouldn't be surprised if her disapproval of Felicity stems from the coming to light that she is, in fact, Malcolm's daughter and also Thea's half sister."

"That's not Felicity fault. She didn't know."

"I know, I know… I guess I'm just used to defending or trying to figure out your mother," Walter practically apologized. He paused for a moment. "Now, you're worried about what it will look like with the three of you running the company. I suspect your concern lies with Felicity's climb up the ladder…and her relationship with you?"

"Yes, that's it exactly." Oliver sucked in breath and took a moment. "I don't want you to think me a horrible person, Walter. I'm concerned for Felicity's well being in all of this as well as the company's… It's not just the public; it's also the board… She's already been through enough—"

"Fear not, Son," Walter interrupted. "I understand your concerns and we'll figure it out. We always do."

Oliver nodded.

"It might help me properly reply to your worries if you answer a few of my questions."

"Okay," Oliver said slowly. He supposed that that made sense. He trusted Walter and he knew that he was just as concerned for Felicity. Walter didn't seem to have any ulterior motives as far as his family and/or Felicity were concerned. He seemed to be one of the few that didn't as far as the world went.

"This might sound incredibly forward of me, but understand that though I care about both of you…and I MAY be a bit protective of Felicity…right now, the answers to the questions I'm about to ask are purely for my assessment for your company questions," Walter prefaced. He took a breath and then continued with his first question. "What are your intentions with Felicity? I know that there's an agreement in place that the two of you are supposed to marry—"

"The agreement's off," Oliver said. "I think my mother thought that if we didn't HAVE to get married that Felicity would just disappear from Starling City. Obviously that hasn't happened…because even though our relationship was forced at first…the more I think about it…the more it feels like it would have happened on its own…eventually…."

"So, you DO love her?"

"Yes," Oliver admitted.

"If you love her, then does that mean that the two of you will get married? As planned?"

"Not as planned," Oliver replied quickly. "Merlyn and my mom's timeline…we're not doing that… This relationship…what we have…what we've been working on…that's our own…we'll do everything in our own time…when we feel it's right."

They were both silent for a long while.

"Before I tell you my thoughts on this, I want to impress upon you the absolute need to keep the fact that Malcolm Merlyn is still alive and the father of Thea and Felicity OUT of the public."

Oliver already knew that, but he understood why Walter felt the need to tell him and ensure that he knew how important it was. It wouldn't just affect his family, but it would affect really the world that they lived in. He didn't want Felicity or Thea to feel uncomfortable or for them to feel like they couldn't go out in public because there was no way that the press WOULDN'T have a hay day with it.

"I think that it would be important to express your relationship in public more, your commitment to one another BEFORE the merger goes further," Walter told him. "You want them to see her as your wife even if that might not happen for a year or more… You don't want her perceived as a girlfriend or someone who might become vindictive or a problem for the company in a few months. You need to go out there in front of the cameras and break the hearts of half of the world…"

. . .

"He's fine."

"How can you be sure? He should have been here earlier!"

Oliver shook his head as he moved down the stairs. Sara and Felicity had spent the day together and he'd taken far longer than normal. "I'm here!" he called. He'd run into Diggle bringing Team Arrow's dinner for the night, Sushi. Diggle had already dropped off a bag with Thea and Roy upstairs.

"Next time you tell me to stay home from Queen Consolidated, I'm not going to listen," Felicity told him. He found her at the bottom of the stairs with her arms crossed and looking very worried. He had hoped that a girls' day would have melted away SOME of the stress. Of course, it wasn't often now that the two of them were apart.

"Okay," he just said gently and held out his arm to her. She closed the distance between them and he wrapped his arms around her. Oliver kissed her head and squeezed her a little too tightly for a moment. "I was just going over some merger details with Walter… I know that the other day we all got a little behind and I just wanted to make sure that we hadn't screwed anything up."

"You could have texted."

Oliver smiled and knew that everything he told Walter was the right thing. Ever since his conversation with Walter, all that he'd thought about was Felicity. How she made him feel. How he'd taught him how to feel again. How she'd made him feel human. How she made him a better man. How he didn't ever want to lose her… How he never wanted to wake up without her right there next to him… "I missed you," he just whispered in response.

"So much hugging… Do we need to leave the Foundry?" Diggle teased lightly.

Oliver finally released her and gave Diggle a look that told him that he wasn't amused. "So…we're having sushi?"

"I had been trying to convince Felicity that we should do some sparring first, but she was a bit too…preoccupied envisioning you in danger," Sara told him.

"I was at QC."

Felicity looked up at him. "I know… I know…" She paused and looked down; she was fidgeting with her ring on her hand. "But I also know that Isabel will do anything to hurt you…to hurt us…and she doesn't care if it's in public…and—"

"Next time, I'm going to call you and keep my phone on all day," Oliver told her seriously. He ran his fingers along the side of her face. He smiled. "You DO need to relax a bit… Maybe working out some of that worry might be a good thing?"

"I guess so…"

"Plus, you know… Roy's not down here to be jealous or pout like we kicked his puppy," Oliver told her. He beamed. "I think he's a little jealous that you're better at all of this…"

"He DOES have Mirakuru on his side," she reminded.

"That doesn't matter if you can't control it," Oliver said. "And he's learning… But everything's just clicked with you and you're still learning, so why don't we have a tiny bit of practice? Then, if you still feel like being angry at me for taking so long I can ask Diggle and Sara to leave the Foundry…" He winked at her at the end and just smiled.

Felicity rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Fine…"

. . .

TBC…


	45. Something To Shout from the Rooftops

"You know, if you had waited to unpack those boxes… I COULD have helped," Oliver told her as he exited the bedroom dressed in workout clothes.

"Well," she said slowly with a small smile. "I just couldn't look at all the boxes anymore." She looked up at Oliver from the books she'd been unpacking. "We've lived here...how long? In all that time, we haven't put books or DVDs on shelves… The only thing on the walls is paint…" Felicity wasn't being harsh, her tone was quiet and gentle, but there was some frustration in there. They'd gotten into the habit here and there of members of Team Arrow having the night off, but it seemed like nothing ever got done when it was their turn. Felicity just wanted their house to feel more like a home.

"I promise that we'll get the bulk of the boxes unpacked either later tonight or tomorrow," Oliver told her. He paused for a moment and close the distance between them. His fingers trailed down the bare skin of her arms. 'I know that I've been making it hard for us to have time together lately, but-"

She turned towards him, stopping what she was doing, and could see the worry etched in his features. "I know you've been staying late to work on the merger details," Felicity interrupted. "And I know as soon as Queen Consolidated is Queen International that things will be a little less crazy...and HOPEFULLY we'll be home together more." She paused and looked over at the boxes. Felicity so desperately wanted to unpack more. She wanted to come home to no more boxes...or at least less of a wall of them.

Oliver lifted her chin and his lips found hers. The kiss deepened and for a moment, she was lost in it. "I love you," he reminded as his fingers ran through her hair.

Felicity briefly forgot about the boxes. She looked over and caught a glimpse of the time. Tonight, the two of them were the only ones who would be in the Foundry and they needed to leave very soon. "We should go-"

He cut her off with another kiss. "We have time," Oliver told her.

"We really don't," she argued. He kissed her again and she had no idea how he could make her melt with every kiss and touch. She really would love to stay in that night, to let him distract her...then dinner and more unpacking...possibly followed up by even more distractions. Tonight, though, Roy was spending the night with Thea, Tommy was out with Melanie, and Sara and Diggle were home spending time together.

"I'll be fast," he promised and lifted her into his arms. Her next reply was banished away with another kiss. Oliver carried her into their bedroom, kissing her the whole way.

They were never going to make it to the Foundry.

Oliver gently laid her on the bed. They'd been taking things slow. Really, really slow. Felicity had a feeling that it was the slowest that Oliver had ever gone with a girl since hitting puberty. It wasn't like they didn't want to take it further, they did. Oliver was just being sweet, understanding, and cautious. It had been hard on Felicity coming back to Starling City and dealing with Merlyn and Moira. There might not have been physical scars, but there were emotional ones.

Felicity had thought about seeing a doctor for medication, but people with cameras were nearly always following her now. Putting on a happy exterior for others was something that she'd become very good at. It had almost become something automatic. Oliver saw through it, though, and had been a comfort. When she was near him, she felt safe and like nothing could happen to her. It was one of the reasons why working at Queen Consolidated (soon International) made so much sense. Felicity felt like that was why Oliver was so consumed in making the merger happen (and happen as soon and smoothly as he could). Felicity knew that that weighed on him and he already had too much that weighed on him.

Felicity turned her head to look at the clock on the nightstand for the time. Oliver seemed to have noticed her attention had strayed. He reached out and turned the clock so that she couldn't see the time. Felicity rolled her head until her eyes met his.

"You're thinking," he practically accused before he started to kiss her neck.

"I'm USUALLY thinking," she told him with a short laugh that turned into a sound of approval. She loved his lips against her skin.

His fingers moved to the buttons of her blouse, unbuttoning it quickly as he continued to kiss her neck. As her shirt was opened, he moved to cover her newly exposed skin in kisses. "I'm going to try to change that," Oliver told her as he lifted her in order to let her blouse slip off. His hands deftly unhooked her bra and removed it before easing her back on the bed.

They really were NEVER leaving.

- Sexytimes stuff removed, per rating. You can read on Archive Of Our Own if you so desire -

"Now," Oliver said in his normal cheery voice. "Get dressed before we're late."

Felicity thought about changing back into what she'd been wearing before Oliver had stripped her out of them, but decided to wear something warmer and more casual. After all, it would just be her in the Foundry while Oliver patrolled and then home. Felicity excused herself to use the restroom and then emerged with her make-up fixed and her hair pulled into a ponytail. Moving to the dresser, she pulled out a pair of panties and then stepped into them. She was handed the bra that had been discarded. For a moment, she watched as Oliver picked up the other items before depositing them in the clothes hamper.

She put on her bra and moved to the nightstand to turn the clock around, it being so she couldn't see the time was stressing her out. Felicity flipped it around and stared at the clock for a moment. It wasn't the time that she thought it would be. She pointed to the time on the clock as she turned to Oliver. "It's only-"

Oliver seemed pleased. "I told you I'd be fast."

He had said that but...but it had just felt about ten times longer and like they should already be late, but if they left fairly soon they could possibly still be on time. She opened her mouth to say something and then closed it again. She swore that Oliver just seemed even more pleased. He moved out of the bedroom and Felicity figured that he was getting a water or grabbing something else that he needed.

It didn't take her long to change into jeans, a fuchsia t-shirt, and a jacket. She moved into the living room where Oliver was waiting and then set her purse down as she felt her stomach twisting. "Maybe I should stay home-"

Oliver turned and just stared at her for a moment.

Felicity was certain that it seemed odd, but at the same time she knew that Oliver would understand. Sometimes she'd be ready to walk out the door and determined to do something, but end up organizing the fridge even though it wasn't needed. Their townhouse was her sanctuary and the outside world held so many things that could hurt them, separate them, or even kill them. There in their place, it was safe.

"Okay," Oliver just replied quietly.

"Maybe Roy-"

"Roy's spending the night with Thea," Oliver interrupted. "It's the first night since re-opening Verdant that Thea's actually allowed herself a night off."

In all honesty, she really didn't want Roy in the Foundry unsupervised…especially around the computers. Visions of holes in walls and icons moved on her set-up haunted her suddenly.

"It's okay," he said before she could think of what to say. He moved over to her and kissed her forehead, his hands on her arms. "I can do it solo tonight. I used to do that when I first started…"

Guilt.

Guilt and fear rose up in her.

Oliver out there by himself with Slade, Isabel, and a gang of assassins was far too dangerous to let him go it alone. Thoughts of all of the times he'd been bleeding or dying flashed through her head. Felicity reached up and grabbed his hand when he went to turn away. "Wait," she told him and let out a sigh.

They were a team.

She couldn't let him go out there alone. They needed to face things together. "We face the world together," she told him matter of factly.

. . .

Once she got to the Foundry, she'd felt a lot better. She knew that the Foundry could be compromised, but it was her second safe place. Right now, she was savoring the alone time. She'd been wanting to do some clean-up on their computers and was finally having the time to do that. Productivity seemed to make the time fly by.

Her phone rang and she looked over to see Oliver's picture and name on her caller ID. She frowned for a moment and then picked it up. "Hello? Oliver?"

It was quiet for a long moment.

"Felicity? Help…"

"Oliver?! What's wrong?! Where are you?!" Felicity rattled off quickly. Worry filled her and she suddenly was sick. The thought that she'd ALMOST stayed home…

"Hurt…"

"Where?! I'll come get you," she said as she grabbed her keys and headed out of the Foundry. Felicity grabbed the medical kit to go that Diggle always packed for times like these. Slinging it over her shoulder, she hurried up the stairs.

"Roof...top…"

Felicity's heart raced as she made it through the door and into Verdant. She kept her head down and her phone to her ear. She listened as Oliver gave her landmarks. Felicity was already tracking his phone at the same time, just to make sure that she had the exact and correct location.

"I tried Digg…"

It worried her that he wasn't getting words out as she made her way towards her car. She knew that everyone else was occupied or else she would have tried to call each and every one of them herself. It was a rare and odd thing for no one to be upstairs in Verdant or available in the Foundry or out patrolling.

All she could think as she fumbled with her keys, trying to unlock her car, was that there would be no more nights like this. Felicity wouldn't allow for so many people to have the night off at once ever again. It seemed like the world went to hell when they felt like they could all lead the normal lives that they all so desperately wanted.

Couldn't you have a normal life and save the city at the same time?

. . .

As she neared the top of the stairs that would lead to the roof, she realized that she COULD have called a person. The only problem was that she still couldn't be certain what Malcolm Merlyn would do if Oliver's life was on the line. She couldn't risk it. She couldn't risk HIM.

She and Oliver were in this together and she had no intention of letting him down. Felicity realized that in THIS moment and in moments LIKE these, she had no idea how she could be so brave when it came to scary situations...but had a hard time leaving home for work or the Foundry.

The door to the roof opened and she hurried out, looking all around in hopes of spotting Oliver. It took her a moment to spot him… There in the middle of the roof, standing in a light blue button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up just past his elbows and a pair of dark pants. Her brain tried to grapple with the unexpected. "You're not hurt," she finally got out.

"No."

"I just thought-" Felicity started to say and just didn't understand.

Oliver started to walk towards her. "I didn't want to lie to you, but I wanted this to be a surprise."

"Oh, it's definitely a surprise…" She paused for a moment as anger bubbled up. Felicity turned for a moment before dropping the medical bag and stomping towards him. Felicity's finger pointed at his chest, poking her anger into Oliver's blue shirt. "Don't you ever, ever, EVER do that to me again! No wonder I have anxiety!" Felicity turned away and pulled air into her lungs as tears fell down her cheeks. It was like she'd just been hit with a truck full of mixed emotions. She covered her face and wiped the tears away. Felicity couldn't believe that she was crying like this…

"Felicity?"

Keeping her back to him, Felicity continued to wipe tears away. Pulling breath in, she tried to calm so that she could speak without her voice completely breaking. Felicity waited a moment before finally responding. "I'm still mad at you."

"Sara and Diggle are back at the Foundry, just so you know," Oliver told her. His voice was calm and even. She didn't really hear much emotion from him.

"Tonight's supposed to be their night off," she whispered.

He didn't respond right away. "I've been planning this for a while…"

Felicity turned to him, she felt calm enough and like she could actually talk to him without smacking him. Anger still filled her, but she felt like she could keep it in and try to be reasonable…depending on what came out of Oliver's mouth. "Why was tonight so important?" she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Oliver stepped to the side and motioned behind him. The view of the city from the rooftop was spectacular and there was a blanket laid out complete with picnic, candles, and flowers.

"What is this for?" she asked slowly, her attention on the picnic as her arms slid back down to her sides. The picnic looked like something out of a romantic movie. Felicity just didn't understand what was going on…

Oliver took her hand. "Will you come sit down?" he asked.

"I don't understand," she whispered and brushed away a stray tear.

"You will," Oliver promised as he led her to where blanket was spread out.

Felicity stood there for a moment before finally sitting down on the blanket. She didn't understand why this needed to be such a big surprise...or why she had to go through such a shock in the process.

He settled down on his knees next to the basket and pulled out two wine glasses. "How about some wine?" he offered.

As nice as a glass of wine while enjoying a candle lit rooftop picnic might have normally sounded, she was still a bit rattled. She didn't think that alcohol was going to help her think any clearer. "Maybe in a little bit," she said quietly. Felicity rubbed the zipper pull on her jacket with her thumb and found herself focusing on one of the candles.

"Do you remember when we met?"

The question snapped her attention back to Oliver suddenly. "Of course," Felicity responded as her eyes locked with his. "You came down with that bullet ridden laptop and ridiculous story." She smiled at the memory.

Oliver nodded, a bright smile on his face. "I think that that might have been the first time that I smiled since coming back to Starling City."

"Really?" she asked as she tilted her head slightly. It was such an odd thing to think about. A smile, it was a simple thing for most people. Emotions (besides anger and revenge) for Oliver in those early days was not an easy thing. Looking back, she realized that he'd been so dark...and almost like he was still on the island. "You've never said anything before."

Oliver shrugged. "I guess it never seemed like a big deal before." He paused. "For most people, they probably don't even THINK about how sometimes something as simple as a smile IS a big deal."

"Sometimes."

"And there are true smiles and fake ones," he pointed out. "and I hope between you and I...all of our smiles have been true ones."

"You always know when it's just for show," she pointed out. Felicity knew that things had never been easy, but now...all she could think was that things hadn't ever been so crazy. She was quiet as she thought, looking down briefly before looking back up at him. "Do you think I'm losing it?" she asked a little hesitantly.

Oliver was quiet for a long time, but his eyes never left her. "I think that you, Felicity," he said as he took her hand. "Are the one that's handling everything that's happened the best."

She was surprised by his response and let out a short laugh of surprise. "I certainly don't feel that way."

His hand ran up her arm. "I know." Oliver was quiet again. "I think it's because you're the one who's the most emotional...in a GOOD way...you're the one who's basically the heart of our family AND Team Arrow. You care and feel so much… YOU, Felicity, are the one that reminds us that there's more to life than all the drama, all the insanity, and all of the violence."

"It makes me feel weak," she confided softly.

"You are NOT weak!" he insisted.

Felicity blinked. "I have anxiety that makes me want to stay home."

Oliver nodded. "But you ALWAYS leave. Felicity, I didn't go through what you went through with Malcolm on that boat or even on that island...but I know what happened and I know that it only made you stronger." He paused. "You were willing to turn yourself over to Slade in order to save us-"

"I thought that was stupid?"

"And reckless," Oliver agreed as he nodded. "But it was also brave and you held your own when it turned into a trap."

"We were prepared."

"And tonight?"

Felicity stared at him and hoped that he'd start to explain what was going through his mind, practically giving her a heart attack. She still wasn't happy. She waited though and hoped.

"You raced across town with a med kit," Oliver told her. "You didn't know what you were running into, but you came anyway."

She shrugged. "Of course, I came," Felicity told him. "I love you."

"And I love you," he told her slowly and took both of her hands in his. "I love everything...even the anxiety and the part of you that worries that you're weak. The good AND the bad. No matter your biological family or your past. I will ALWAYS be here and love you...and I always want to be going forward...with YOU."

Felicity realized that he seemed nervous all of the sudden. He looked down at her hands and she suddenly felt even more confused. Did he just want to make sure that she knew all of these things? Did he feel the need to touch base with her? They'd made promises to talk about their pasts and to keep communicating-

A ring appeared between two of Oliver's fingers and the moment she saw it, her thoughts came to a crashing halt. It wasn't like the delicate band that she wore. This band had more weight to it, but was also made of rose gold. In the middle of the ring, a large diamond (but not too large) was mounted. Smaller diamonds were inset in the band on either side of it.

"Is it too late to get that wine?" Felicity blurted out as her eyes darted up to his. Her stomach knotted and her mind spun.

Oliver let out a laugh. "Can I get through this first?"

Felicity just nodded in response.

"I know that this relationship didn't start off in the normal sense," Oliver said. "The more I think about it...the more I'm CERTAIN that we would have gotten here on our own." He held up the ring. "I want to be CLEAR. This is not because of Malcolm Merlyn or my mother. This is because I love you...because you make me a better person...and because I want to spend the rest of my life with you and no one else."

Tears started to fall down her face. She wiped them away and tried to think ahead to what she was going to say.

"Felicity Meghan Smoak, I love you and you would make me the happiest man on Earth if you would do me the honor of marrying me." When she didn't respond and there was only silence, he quickly added. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes," she blurted out. It wasn't that she wasn't sure, it was just that she'd been surprised and had had a hard time getting the words out. Felicity nodded a moment later to ensure that Oliver understood her response.

He hugged her, kissed her, hugged her some more, and then finally worked on putting the ring on her finger. Felicity looked down at it as he did so. It seemed to be the perfect size and it looked beautiful next to the band that was already on her finger.

Tears fell from her eyes still, but she didn't banish them. Felicity was so happy and almost couldn't believe that Oliver had proposed to her. She looked up at him and took a moment to breathe. Today had certainly been an emotional rollercoaster. "Why now?" she asked him. "Not that I'm complaining." Felicity paused. "It's just… I didn't expect-"

"I didn't want to wait any longer," Oliver told her. "I've actually had that ring for a while."

"Well you WERE told you had to propose by a certain time-"

"I bought it after my mother said we weren't being forced to be together or live out their timeline," Oliver clarified. "I went out and had it made right after Isabel attacked you and Sara." He paused. "And then when you almost turned yourself over to Slade… All I've been thinking is that life is too short to wait."

"You're right," Felicity agreed.

"We do need to move forward," Oliver said. "I wanted to do that together."

"I'm guessing that no one else knows?"

"Well, Diggle and Sara know...but I didn't tell them," Oliver explained. "They're sneaky."

Felicity smiled. "Is it horrible that I'd rather take all of this back to the Foundry to celebrate?"

"No."

"I just… It feels like such a secret right now...and I want to share it," she tried to explain. For some reason Sara and Diggle just seemed like the best people to do that with.

Oliver beamed. "Believe me, I am ready to shout that you said yes from this rooftop and I know Diggle and Sara are waiting to hear how it went."

Felicity leaned in and kissed him. "Let's surprise them then."

. . .

TBC…


	46. Get Used to It

"You okay?"

Felicity looked up from her tablet. "Yeah...why?" she asked. She didn't think that she'd given any indication that something was wrong, since there wasn't anything wrong. Actually, things had had never been better for her or between them. Felicity hadn't even thought twice about leaving home hours before.

Oliver shrugged. "You've just been quiet...and I just wanted to check."

"I told you I'd end up spending the whole day reading to catch up on what I missed," Felicity reminded him with a smile. "There's so much with the merger and I don't want to be behind."

"Are you SURE that you're happy here at Queen Consolidated?"

Felicity eyed him for a moment. "Did you and Tommy talk?" she asked and then quickly realized that he'd been spending a lot of time with Walter for the merger. "Wait." She closed her eyes for a moment and held up a hand. Felicity felt the need to process the possibility. Turning her attention back to Oliver, her eyes open, she tried to speak calmly. "Did Walter suggest it?"

"No!" he said quickly and held up his hands. Oliver sucked in a breath and then continued. "To be fair and truthful," he started. "I DID ask Walter his opinion on the merger in regards to your position going forward. Not because I don't WANT you here, let me make that clear. I just wanted to know in case it was brought up by my mother, Merlyn, or the board."

This was something that he'd promised her.

The truth.

Communicating.

Even though it was a little hard to hear, she appreciated it just the same. Felicity took a moment to really compose herself. "What did Walter say?"

"Walter adores you-"

"But?"

"He said that he saw no problem in it as long as our relationship continues."

Felicity smiled. "So, in other words, as long as I don't become your psycho ex-girlfriend?"

He smirked. "Pretty much."

"You really don't need another one."

Oliver reached across the desk and took her hand. "You are the one I'm marrying. First and last. I'm not going to fail you or let you go." He paused. "Walter DID say he thought it was a good idea for us to be in the press more though. Get them to KNOW you and to see us together."

"How?"

It sounded a lot like Moira and Merlyn's plan for them. So, she tried to keep an open mind and hoped that Oliver said something that made her feel better about the situation. Felicity tried to remind herself that it was okay to be overwhelmed. She'd been through a lot already and now they were dealing with the merger, they were newly engaged, and they had a league of bad guys after them.

Oliver was quiet for a long time, but eventually he spoke up. His tone was even and calm. "There are a few ways to do it," he said slowly. "We could host events or volunteer for events. My mother goes to the hospital and reads to kids in the oncology wing every once in a while." Oliver paused and took a breath. "When we push this merger forward, there will be all kinds of opportunities for all three of us to be in front of the press..."

"But we don't want to raise any flags," she said slowly as she finished his sentence. Felicity had sensed that there was something wrong at the end, but she understood Oliver's concern. They had to be careful. Oliver and Tommy were close and then she was Tommy were close. The press likely would paint it as scandalous and they didn't need them digging deeper or dragging their names through the mud. "Are there any other options I should be aware of?"

Oliver let out a long sigh. "One that would probably be a good idea, but it would put you in dangerous waters… I'm not sure it would be worth it."

Felicity stared at him for a long moment. "What is it?" she asked slowly. She knew that he wanted to protect her, but if this was a good idea then she wanted to hear about it. Everyone was always telling her that she was stronger than she realized, this was a time for her to really prove that to herself.

"My mom is always getting calls about doing magazine pieces and reality show episodes on the family as a whole. You know pictures of everyone...at the house…and interviews," he explained. "She's always managed to keep Thea and I out of it."

"But then I'd have to do it with your mother…"

"And we'd have to convince Thea and possibly Roy…"

Felicity sighed. "Merlyn won't like it either," she said quietly. It would draw too much attention to Felicity and Thea and she doubted that he'd like that. Merlyn wouldn't want anyone to look TOO deeply into either of their pasts or heritage.

"Which is why it's a good idea, but then it's not…"

"If it's just pictures for a magazine," Felicity replied slowly and thoughtfully. "Or some questions...then maybe we SHOULD do it." She was certain that Moira could arrange for them to only ask specific questions and to get what they'd be asked ahead of time or maybe they could just submit their responses in writing.

"Felicity…"

"I can handle being in the same room with your mother and a smile on my face, Oliver."

"I didn't want to put you in that position."

Felicity squeezed his hand as she stared into his eyes. "I don't care if your mother has to pick out my wardrobe or coach me on questions...then that's what I'll do. If it's what's best for us and-"

"Oh, aren't you two just disgustingly adorable holding hands…"

Their attention pulled to the doorway where Isabel Rochev stood in a tight and revealing red dress. The executive assistant was behind Isabel and looked upset and well, far more...and Felicity knew those feelings all too well. Isabel was not a nice person and definitely not a fun one to deal with when you were an assistant.

"I'm SO sorry, Mr. Queen...Ms. Smoak...she just-" the assistant apologized and sounded like she was about to cry.

"It's okay," Felicity spoke up first.

"Shall I call security?"

Yes.

Felicity felt like they really needed to give security Isabel's picture, so that she would never get that far again. Before Felicity or Oliver could answer, Isabel was speaking.

"Go ahead and call them," Isabel told her as she turned to the assistant. "I just dropped in for a quick 'hi' and will be gone before security gets here." Isabel turned back to them, approaching the desk.

They both rose and Oliver moved so that he was at her side. "What do you WANT, Isabel?" Oliver nearly growled.

Isabel smiled her evil smile. "Just checking...in." Her focus seemed to be pulled. She took another step towards them.

The one thing that Felicity knew for sure was that Isabel wasn't going to do something stupid in Queen Consolidated in the CEO's office in front of witnesses and cameras. Felicity grabbed Oliver's right and hand held him in place.

Isabel didn't falter and continued to approach Felicity, grabbed her right hand, and raised it. "Not quite what I'd expected for the next Mrs. Queen, but I suppose that you enjoy the simpler things in life, Felicity," she said coolly as she looked up at Felicity's face.

The only people who knew about the engagement so far were their family and close friends. Some people were still turning their news over in their heads, which was fine. Felicity just didn't really think that announcing their engagement so soon, but now it seemed like the cat was out of the bag. Isabel, Slade, and their evil league of evil were probably going to have a field day with this new news.

"Congratulations…" Isabel said sweetly and then dropped Felicity's hand. "Though, neither of you will make it to the altar…" Isabel made a face. "Probably better that way… I REALLY wouldn't want to see whatever hideous white dress you choose all over every form of media." With that, Isabel headed out of the office. She paused at the doorway, her hand resting on the glass door frame as she looked back at them. "Oh, and by the way...those rings should be on the OTHER hand." Isabel smirked one last time. "I'll be seeing you soon," she told them before heading out.

Isabel was a horrible, horrible, horrible person.

HORRIBLE.

"Have I mentioned how much I don't like her?" Felicity asked sarcastically. "Though...and I HATE to say this...but Isabel was right." Felicity held up her right hand, which held two rings on her ring finger. "They SHOULD really be on my left hand."

Oliver made a face. "I-"

"It's really not that big of a deal, Oliver," Felicity told him slowly and honestly. "And easy to fix…" She started to pull the rings off, but Oliver stopped her.

"Let me," he said softly.

Felicity nodded and let him remove the rings from her right hand and moved them to her left ring finger. She smiled up at him and tried to push out the ugly thoughts of Isabel Rochev. "Okay, so...where were we?" she asked. "I think we were talking about calling your mother, well...actually YOU should call her because I'm pretty sure that she still-"

"Felicity, we need to talk about what just happened," Oliver said calmly as he gripped her hand. "We can't just ignore it."

She wanted to just forget about it and move on, but apparently they needed to discuss it. Felicity just didn't understand why. This wasn't the first time that either of their lives had been threatened. "She was being Isabel...all evil and drop-dead gorgeous, but still all evil and threaten-y."

"She's come after us before."

"You're worried about her coming after me, aren't you?"

He didn't answer at first. "Yes."

"I think that they realize that I'm not some damsel in distress anymore."

"That doesn't mean that they'll stop, Felicity."

"What am I supposed to do?" she asked. Felicity knew that all he wanted to do was to keep her safe, but she didn't want to fear a ruin her. "I won't let her destroy our lives… We're not going to stop living."

"I could have Diggle or Sara stay with you all day," Oliver suggested.

It wasn't often that they had Diggle accompany all day long. It just wasn't necessary. Felicity knew that he was just being careful. "I suppose it would be a little suspicious if I brought a bow along everywhere," she leaned in and whispered. She waited a moment and leaned in for a quick kiss. "Let's get back to work."

. . .

Felicity had convinced Oliver that she could head to the Foundry early without him. She'd called Sara and she was supposed to meet her in the parking garage where Oliver's car was currently parked. She was early, but then she liked to be on time. There was no need in her mind to keep other people waiting. Her time was not worth more than anyone else's.

Her focus was on her phone as she texted Sara to let her know she was ready and waiting. Felicity had no idea what Sara and Diggle had been doing during the day, so just in case Sara was parked somewhere killing time-

"There's no way that the high and mighty Moira Queen approveds of an illegitimate daughter…"

She stopped in her footsteps and looked up from her phone, scanning the underground parking garage for Isabel Rochev. Felicity didn't see anyone, but hit the dial button and dropped her phone in her coat pocket. Taking in a deep breath, she waited. Isabel had to be somewhere...hiding…

"Let's face it, Moira would probably be more excited if I were the one marrying her son. I have the breeding, the business skills, the money, and I would be a much better match for Oliver…"

The words washed over her and Felicity forced her focus on her surroundings. Isabel would NOT win. How she wished she had her bow, but at the same time she knew that her hand to hand fighting skills would serve her well. She'd faced Isabel before and she could hold her own for so long, but Felicity hoped that back-up would arrive in some form. Sara, Diggle, or even Oliver she knew would be her best bet, but security or the police would likely divert Isabel from her current task.

"No one can save you…"

Isabel's voice echoed through the concrete garage, bouncing off the walls. Her laugh filled Felicity's surroundings. "Not even Oliver…"

Oliver.

The thought of him weighed on her mind. If Isabel hurt her, then Oliver would blame himself…though she was certain that he likely blamed himself now for the fact that she'd been put in any kind of danger. Felicity closed her eyes and breathed. "I don't need Oliver to save me," she whispered.

"And I thought you were supposed to be the intelligent one," Isabel said.

Even with her eyes closed, Felicity knew that he was right in front of her. She would not let Isabel or her words make her get emotional or lose her focus. Felicity was determined to hold control over the situation.

"This is going to be an easy kill," Isabel stated.

Opening her eyes, she found Isabel there. Remove the coat, she told herself. Without the coat, even in her dress, she would be able to move easier. Keeping her eyes on Isabel, she unbuttoned her coat and then let it fall.

Isabel smirked. "That won't help you."

"I'm not just some executive assistant anymore," she told Isabel calmly as she readied herself.

Her laughter once again echoed. "You seem to think you're Cinderella…" Isabel's smile slipped away. "You're no princess," she spoke through gritted teeth. "And you never will be," she said before launching herself at Felicity.

Focused and with a clear head, Felicity countered moved and made contact of her own. It was like a dance and she found it harder than it had been before. Maybe it was because Isabel KNEW that she was more than just some damsel in distress.

Blades appeared and Felicity was just happy that they were knives. It was important to keep moving, she knocked one of the knives out of Isabel's grasp. Felicity wasn't fast enough though and as she turned, she felt the digging of the knife under her shoulder blade. She let out a quick scream, but moved away.

"Talia!"

Sara's voice echoed and Felicity turned to see her friend dressed in black as the Canary. She reached around and held her hand over the wound the best she could, trying to ignore the pain. She didn't know how deep it was, but she could feel the blood on her fingers. She moved out of the way and was suddenly an audience as Isabel and Sara went at it. Words in a language Felicity didn't understand went back and forth between the two.

"You dishonor the League!" Isabel shouted at Sara. "You dishonor my sister! My father! NO ONE dishonors Ra's al Ghul!"

"Do not speak on Nyssa's behalf!" Sara spat back.

The sound of sirens suddenly filled the garage. Isabel disappeared and Felicity stared at Sara. "Please don't leave me here," she practically begged. It wasn't just facing Lance or the other police, their questions, or the EMTs. Felicity just didn't want to face Oliver just yet.

"You're hurt!"

"I don't think it's that bad."

Sara came over and examined it for a moment. "Couple of stitches." She sighed. "He won't be happy."

"I know."

"Are you sure?"

"Please?

. . .

"Where is she?!" Oliver's worried voice carried through the Foundry.

"Calm down, Ollie!"

"Is she okay?! They said there was blood and I saw the video! Why wouldn't you let them take her to the hospital?!"

Oliver sounded absolutely beyond worried and she'd known that was going to happen. She hated that he was taking it out on Sara, though. Sara had come to her rescue and then she'd honored Felicity's wishes. Was there really anything wrong with that?

"Oliver," she said quietly as she walked towards his bellowing voice. Diggle and Sara had gotten her all taken care of and she'd changed into a sports bra and workout pants.

He moved to her instantly, his hands on her arms as he stared at her. "Why didn't you stay?"

Felicity knew he'd ask. "I didn't want to do this there… I didn't want to try to explain what happened to the police."

"Lance has questions. He's going to want to talk to you," Oliver explained and his voice was calmer. "I'm just glad that you're okay."

"It's just a few stitches," she tried to assure and turned so that he could see for himself.

Sara moved past them. "I'll call my dad and see what I can do."

"I didn't want to be fussed over," she explained as she looked up into his eyes. "And I didn't want to watch the look in your eyes as you blamed yourself and let it eat away at you."

"Felicity-"

"It wasn't your fault-"

"Isabel is only here because-"

"Oliver!" she snapped. "Stop!" Felicity knew he was going to worry, but she could try to stop him from doing it so much.

Oliver stared at her. Felicity almost wished that he WAS talking, so that she knew how the wheels were turning in his head. "Maybe I'll stay in with you tonight…"

"Oliver…"

"I just- Diggle could do it."

Felicity moved forward and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm fine," she insisted. "I handled myself… I just got a little too close to the knife…"

"She could have killed you."

Pulling in breath, she squeezed him before taking a step back. "No. She wasn't going to kill me. YOU trained me too well."

"Can I take back the training?" Oliver asked, half serious.

"Then I'd probably not be here…" Felicity said and then started to ramble. "Not like dead… Probably in the house and paralyzed with fear of the outside world." Felicity noticed the concerned look that Oliver was giving her. "What? It's a good thing you DID train me. Kept me from becoming some kind of hermit." Oliver was still staring.

"I'm wondering if we should be concerned about Thea's safety," Oliver finally spoke up.

This had been brought up before and Felicity knew that it was a valid concern, but she'd rather that her sister be close to them rather than far away. "So, Roy will stay really close to Thea," Felicity replied like it was the most obvious solution.

Oliver frowned. "I'm not sure I like that."

"Get used to it."

. . .

TBC…


	47. Family Unrest

"I feel like there's going to be a lot of laughing," Tommy semi complained.

Felicity beamed. "They'll be no laughing," she assured. "Look at how well Thea's doing…" Felicity pointed out as she motioned to where Thea was working with Sara and Oliver. "Everyone wants you to succeed...except maybe Roy…"

"I can HEAR you," Roy complained a bit.

Felicity flashed him a smile. "Okay, so Roy just prefers to be BETTER at everything."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Roy told them with a smile as he headed past them and over towards Thea.

"I'm never going to be any good," Tommy told her.

"You're not going to know unless you TRY," Felicity reminded.

Tommy was practicing punching the hanging bag. "You're better than me."

"I had training on the island," Felicity told him quietly. "I see him twice a week...and even though one night is normally just dinner… I end up getting a lot more training than I would have gotten."

Tommy stopped and looked at her. "I think if Oliver had his way, you wouldn't have ANY training."

"I don't think Oliver would have been the only one," she told him with a quick roll of the eyes.

"I don't know how you can see him so much," Tommy commented as he started to punch the bag again.

Felicity shrugged. "It's a necessary evil… If he has a relationship with ONE of us, I think it helps for him to leave us to our lives…"

"So, you're the sacrificial lamb?"

"Someone has to be?"

They were both quiet and Tommy seemed to be focused on doing what Oliver had told him to do. He seemed focused on the punches and his form. It seemed like a lot of silence passed between them before Felicity spoke up again.

"You know, he wouldn't mind training you, too."

"Felicity-"

"He'd behave," Felicity assured. "Mainly because he'd be overjoyed to know that I wasn't the only child that was seeking help in that area-"

"I don't get how you can still go and see him," Thea interrupted. "We have our lives…"

"We only have them because Felicity goes and sees him," Tommy told her.

Thea didn't seem like she accepted that response. "He's not done a very good job at parenting so far… We're worrying about Ra's al Ghul and the League of Ninjas-"

"Assassins," Felicity corrected.

"Whatever," Thea replied with a bit of irk in her voice. "Slade Wilson and Isabel Rochev… We were supposed to be safe. He made some twisted deal to get back Queen Consolidated and now it's blown up in his face and we're all in danger."

She understood why Thea was so upset, but Felicity couldn't control any of that. All she could do was to help with damage control. That seemed to have become her specialty by default. Felicity had never wanted that job or to have to be close to Merlyn, but it was a lot better than being prisoners again back on the boat. It was hard for her to even think back to that, but it was a fact. If she didn't do what she was doing then she'd probably be dead. Merlyn would have likely killed her.

"I'm not trying to defend him," Felicity said gently. "It's just...me going over there is a necessary evil…"

"We'd all be better off if he was dead," Thea said angrily.

Felicity didn't think that she actually meant that. Thea knew what it was to lose her father, even if Robert Queen hadn't been her biological father. Merlyn had shown that he COULD care about them. She was certain that that didn't just wash over Thea. Deep down, she was certain that her younger sister would care and grieve if Merlyn was killed.

"I'm going to go and check things," Felicity said as she motioned towards the computer before walking away. She just didn't want to fight with Thea. It was a stupid thing to fight over anyways. Malcolm Merlyn wasn't worth the discord.

"What's going on?" Felicity heard Oliver ask.

She didn't turn her back, though, and proceeded to her computer chair. Felicity wished that she could just live in a world where they didn't have to worry about parents, but in truth...they were lucky. As horrible as that sounded. They were. Moira and Merlyn both believed that they were honestly being good parents, they were TRYING. Thea, Oliver, and Tommy were all lucky to have parents growing up… She had always been the black sheep growing up, feeling completely out of place and like the world wouldn't care if she just disappeared.

"Thea-" Tommy began to explain.

"Why do you always have to defend him?!" Thea shouted.

"I'm not defending our FATHER, I'm defending our SISTER, whom you've decided has to be practically attacked every time his name is mentioned," Tommy went off.

Felicity closed her eyes as she sat down in her chair with her back to them, her hands covered her face and she wanted to scream. She wanted to scream for them to stop the fighting. Really, the only thing she wanted, was for Thea to understand.

"She doesn't go to see Merlyn twice a week every week for kicks, Thea!" Tommy continued. "Do you think Oliver would go along with her just for the heck of it? Because he enjoys his company? I'm sure the two of them would much rather be doing just about anything else…" Tommy was pissed, Felicity could hear it. He got upset, worried, and even overly protectively concerned...but this… It was like he'd been holding it all inside of himself for this long and Thea had just pushed the wrong button, now it was like an explosion. "Would you rather be back on that island? On that BOAT? Do you remember HOW we're all alive? It's not because of Malcolm Merlyn…" His voice just dropped off and she heard anger thuds of footsteps followed by the sound of his footfalls as he went up the stairs.

Felicity didn't know how much time had passed, but eventually, she felt lips on her bare and sweaty-sticky shoulder. She'd crossed pushed the keyboard out of the way, crossed her arms over the desk, and laid her head down with her eyes closed. Felicity was starting to wonder if she'd drifted off. "Mmm...what time is it?"

"I have to go," Oliver told her.

Her eyes snapped open and she turned to face him, almost too quickly. Oliver steadied the chair and crouched down so that they were closer to the same level, he was dressed in a suit again. "But tonight-"

Oliver sighed. "I know… You're not going alone-"

"No, it's fine," she whispered. Felicity knew that she could make it through going over to Merlyn's on her own, she just didn't like it. It was hard. She didn't think anyone really realized how hard it was on her except for Oliver...and Tommy was obviously seeing that there was a weight on her. She realized that it was only the two of them left in the Foundry. She MUST have drifted off. "You have that meeting-"

"Tommy said he'd go with you," Oliver told her.

She rubbed her face and tried to wake herself up. "He doesn't have to, after today-"

"Thea was out of line," Oliver said sternly.

Felicity shook her head. "She's still a kid, Oliver..." She sighed and rested her hands on his shoulders. "A kid who had to grow up without you or your dad...and who's gone through far too much hell in her life…"

"You can't keep making excuses-"

"It's not an excuse," Felicity said quickly. "It's a fact. Just, please...give her some slack… I think she's afraid that we'll get close to Merlyn and she's not ready for that." Felicity paused. "I won't EVER be ready for something like that, but in Thea's mind...that's what's going on."

Oliver leaned in and kissed her lips, kissed the tip of her nose, and then kissed her forehead. He pressed his forehead against hers a moment later and they just breathed. "I wish I could go with you-"

"The merger's almost done...that's what's important." She realized that there was something he wasn't saying. He was tense and there was just an air about him. Felicity knew Oliver. "What?" she asked as she pulled away, her hands still on his shoulders.

"I talked to my mother-"

"And?"

Moira Queen, never Felicity's favorite topic of conversation, but like Merlyn...a necessary evil.

"She's going to set up a photoshoot with that magazine...and they'll send questions that we'll just answer and mail in," Oliver said slowly.

"Okay," she responded and it seemed reasonable enough. "So, what's wrong?"

"She wants them to be able to take pictures...and announce our engagement...and…"

"And she wants to pick out my clothes?"

Oliver sighed. "Yes," he admitted. "She said she's going to arrange for hair and make-up people to be at the house...but I just-the engagement is supposed to be OURS…"

"We knew it was going to get out," Felicity reminded quietly. She didn't like the idea of the engagement being such a big thing with the magazine, but like so many other things...it was a necessary evil. It would help their publicity. It would help with the company. That's what she was more concerned about right now. They needed to make sure that the merger going public was smooth. "And...it's okay… I mean, I'm going to bring an extra dress-"

"Dresses…"

Felicity made a face. "I'm going to be dressed up like Barbie, aren't I?"

Oliver seemed amused at that. "I prefer to be the one undressing you…" he told her as his hands moved down her bare arms. "And I would right now...if I didn't have a meeting that I HAD to be at…" He groaned and got to his feet.

"Tonight," she promised with a smile.

"You okay?"

Felicity nodded. "It WILL be okay… Once the merger goes through, goes public, and you know...we get rid of super bads...then our lives will be...less hectic," Felicity rambled. "Or at least that's what I keep telling myself. Our schedules will be only SLIGHTLY crazy, but I think enough for us all to breathe…"

He leaned down, his hands braced on the arms of the chair. "I love you," he whispered as his lips moved in to kiss her. It was long and deep and left Felicity wanting more…

. . .

"There's still time if you want to go home," Felicity told him. "You can always come back and pick me up...or Diggle could."

"No," Tommy said quickly. "No." He sighed this time. "I just-"

"It's not easy for me either," Felicity confessed. "Even WITH Oliver here."

"Felicity-"

The door opened and the conversation immediately ended. They looked over together and Felicity could tell that he was surprised. "Oliver couldn't make it," Felicity supplied as they entered.

"Curse of being CEO, but you didn't HAVE to bring someone," Merlyn told her. "You know tht I won't hurt you, Felicity."

"I WANTED to come," Tommy half lied. Felicity could suddenly feel the tension between them and she reached out to take Tommy's hand. "Thea and I decided that it would be a good idea if we could defend ourselves and I know you've been helping with Felicity's training."

"No Thea, I see," Merlyn said and motioned for them to head down the hall. "She'll come around eventually. Of course, I'll train you, Tommy. I love you. You're my son," he said as they walked towards the elevator. "I've been waiting YEARS for this!"

Felicity was certain that Merlyn was on cloud nine right now, but she knew that Tommy really wasn't comfortable being there. He was being the protective big brother and friend. They entered the elevator and Felicity realized that she was purposely positioning herself with Tommy between her and Merlyn. No matter how much control she had or how well she felt like she could defend herself Felicity realized that what Malcolm Merlyn did to her would always be apart of her. It didn't matter that she could step into a shower now, even if it meant Oliver had to be close. It didn't matter that she was back with her family and knew they'd protect her. None of it mattered, not even the fact that she could protect herself. Malcolm Merlyn would always have power over her.

Nausea and upset hit her, her stomach twisted, and all she wanted was to leave. When the elevator opened, she flew out and hoped that the open space would help. She realized that there was no way that they wouldn't notice.

"Felicity?" Tommy questioned.

She didn't turn to him and instead moved towards the cache of weapons. Felicity just wanted to distract herself and try to concentrate on something else. Picking up the bow, she grabbed a quiver, and moved to the targets.

"What weapons interest you?" she heard Merlyn ask Tommy. "As you can see...I have an array of them…"

"Bo staff."

"Good choice."

They were both quiet for a while, Felicity focused on what she was doing. When she had to go and retrieve her arrows, she looked up to see them practicing. She could tell that Tommy was really trying and from what she briefly saw, he was picking it up. It was a good weapon choice, Felicity thought, because Oliver and Sara could train him in the Foundry. Tommy wouldn't have to get all of his training from Merlyn.

. . .

"You can't be serious," Roy complained. "Is this some way to kick me off the team or something? A test?"

Sara just giggled and shook her head. "Why don't we let Oliver go first?"

"Yeah, that's not going to convince me that I'm supposed to fail…" Roy grumbled and crossed his arms over his chest.

They were all down there, even Thea. She'd cooled down the last couple of days and had eventually apologized. Felicity was glad that they weren't on bad terms anymore, it just made it awkward and tense between the whole group. Their little family was even more interconnected because of the siblings. Plus, she hated feeling like Oliver had to pick sides… She never wanted him to do that, just be there if Thea needed him...but it wasn't that easy in practice.

Everyone was gathered together and she knew that this was a test even if no one was going to confirm it. It proved something. It proved that you had met a certain level, but that didn't mean that you weren't valuable in the field if you didn't pass it. Using a weapon wasn't about shooting a target; it was about defending yourself, those you loved, and in their case...Starling City. No matter what, they'd all done that in some form… This wasn't going to really change anything, it more told Oliver, Diggle, and Sara who still needed help with small moving targets.

"Go," Oliver said calmly, his bow and an arrow at the ready.

The tennis balls were let go and it seemed like a second before Oliver had every ball pinned to the wall with an arrow. He moved forward and removed them. That was the only wall that was designated to have holes in it, mainly because it was a double wall, she'd caught the glance that Roy had given her...like she was going to shout at any minute and she already knew that he didn't want to be the one patching up the Foundry.

"Me next," Sara spoke up cheerily.

Felicity smiled as she watched Sara as she grabbed a bow. Sara Lance had seemed so dark and almost lost when she'd returned to Starling City permanently, but ever since the siblings had returned Felicity had noticed that Sara was so happy with Diggle. She was happy for both of them and hoped that it lasted… They both deserved it.

Like Oliver, Sara hit the tennis balls without a problem. Felicity thought that maybe the last two balls bounced an extra time, but Sara still hit them all and looked extremely pleased at the same time. Looking over at Roy, he seemed nervous and was fidgeting. Felicity noticed that she wasn't the only one who'd noticed, Thea was looking at him with concern.

"Felicity," Oliver said as he motioned for her to take up the archer spot.

Nervously and hesitantly, Felicity moved into the spot. Oliver handed her a quiver and then her bow. Focusing on her breathing, she thought about what she needed to do. She pulled back her arrow on her bowstring, aimed, and then signaled that she was ready. "Go."

Shooting tennis balls was not something that she'd trained doing and it was a bit nerve wracking, mainly because she knew that everyone was watching. Felicity breathed and lowered her bow a few moments later after all of the tennis balls had stopped their bouncing. She'd hit every single one. Felicity didn't even know how she had done it.

"See! Not that hard!" Oliver spoke up.

Felicity was sure that he was speaking to Roy, who had been thinking this was all a big joke. His hands were on her shoulders a moment later and leading her out of the archer's spot. After a moment, she moved her focus to Roy. She knew that he could do it if he could focus. That's why Roy was with Team Arrow. He was working on honing his skills and most of all, discipline. He'd been doing better, but he lacked the confidence that Felicity felt like came with experience. In time, Roy would gain that.

"Go," Roy said. In no time, Roy had all the balls arrowed. Everyone was quiet, perhaps waiting for a response from him. His face surely told all of them that he was shocked that he'd done it. "Holy crap…" Roy mumbled. "I did it…"

Thea cheered and hugged him. She was laying kisses on him and it seemed like Roy was still in a sort of daze.

"I did it…" he said a little louder this time.

There was suddenly a slow clap, but Felicity realized it was coming from behind them. She turned and everyone else seemed to realize it at the same time. Half of them were armed, but Felicity wasn't surprised when she saw who had come down into their lair. Not many could get past the security or had the access code. It wasn't like you could just be lucky and go through the right set of doors. She let out a sigh and waited for another civil war to begin.

Malcolm Merlyn dressed in black was standing there at the bottom of the stairs. He was in his Dark Archer costume, but the hood had been removed. He looked amused and he stopped clapping a moment later. "Well done! I'm mostly impressed… Some of you are a little rough around the edges still, but smoothing those edges out takes time…"

"What do you want?" Thea practically spat.

Here we go.

Oliver's hand was on her arm and she noticed that Tommy was moving past Diggle to get closer to both her and Thea as well. It was like everyone was getting into a formation to protect and keep them all safe. They WERE a team, but Merlyn was still just a single man. Sometimes he made her feel sorry for him, but most times...he just caused her anxiety level to skyrocket. She was certain that being around him wasn't good for her blood pressure.

"I just came in to check to see how everyone was doing. It's been a couple of days," Merlyn told them. "I thought I was welcomed...as long as I wasn't shooting people with arrows…"

"Or kidnapping them," Roy added.

Merlyn held out his arms at his sides. "Wasn't on my agenda...today." He smirked. It was clear that he was just trying to get a rise out of Roy. It had worked and Oliver had to grab him. Merlyn laughed. "No one can take a joke around here...can they?"

"It's been slow," Oliver told him through gritted teeth.

"Maybe they've left," Thea spoke up and actually sounded calm.

"They'll likely regrouping and getting ready to come after us full force," Sara said. Sara had lived and worked with the League of Assassins for years… If anyone, other than Merlyn, would know it would be her. Normally, Sara and Oliver weren't wrong about these kinds of things and from the corner of her eye, she could see Diggle nodding in agreement.

"We could have scared them off…"

"The League doesn't get scared," Sara told her seriously. "The only way to get a member of the League to stop coming after you is to kill them."

"And we're going to kill them before they kill us," Merlyn said. "Sorry Oliver, but your cute no killing rule that my daughter brainwashed you with needs to be off the table if we intend to take back Starling City from Slade and Talia."

Felicity could tell that Oliver was battling with emotions and one of them seemed to be about Merlyn being right. She didn't want Oliver to have to kill, but at the same time...she knew that Sara and Merlyn were right. They weren't going to stop. Felicity just didn't know if she could be a part of this fight, though at the same time she didn't think she could be left behind safe in the Foundry. Felicity had killed ONCE and she didn't know how she could go out with the knowledge that she would have to kill more. She knew that the first time had been to save Thea...and that killing Talia, Slade, and the assassins with them meant keeping the people of Starling City safe (and Team Arrow as well), but it was still so hard to hold down.

"I guess we should get back to training then," Tommy spoke up after a long silence.

"Why not let me help with the training?" Merlyn asked and his question was to Oliver. "Your young protege is doing so much better than I expected… Perhaps a different archery coach might help him?"

"That's up to Roy, if he's comfortable with it," Oliver said. "You know the rules when it comes to being down here...our team...MY family…"

Merlyn looked towards Roy. "I don't see why comfort matters… His goal is to help you protect this city...keep Thea safe...I would think he'd take any help he could get. Plus, we're practically family now, aren't we?"

Oh, this was going to be quite the long training session…

. . .

TBC...


	48. Team Arrow Might Be A Club

The Foundry was like a second home to all of them. They were spending more time there than they had been spending anywhere else in the last few weeks. Felicity found it a little hard to balance things in her life, but she had Oliver to lean on. Queen Consolidated was doing well and the papers had been turned in. Now, they just had to wait for Queen Consolidated to be merged with Merlyn Global to form Queen International. She was excited because it would be a clean start for them all, plus she'd get to work with Tommy too. She loved Oliver, she did, but there was a different dynamic when it was the three of them.

They were all sitting in what Felicity had designated the Break Room, but what Roy had insisted calling the Nap Zone. They were having Team Arrow family dinner and instead of them all going out, they'd brought in food. Felicity knew it was silly, but they were all on high alert. They didn't feel like they could take a break…

"I thought we agreed on Big Belly Burger," Roy complained.

Thea sighed. "You were vetoed."

"How did that happen?"

"We voted," Thea told him as she motioned to everyone else. "You lost."

"Hence, sushi," Felicity told him as she picked up her roll with chopsticks.

Their dinners at the Foundry were never fancy. They didn't need to be. They had everything they needed there. They had each other. That was what was most important, plus it gave Thea the opportunity to duck out of Verdant for a short period of time in order to share a meal with them.

Roy grumbled, but seemed to be devouring his food far faster than most people.

"You know, we really need to get back to being normal," Sara spoke up. "Eating in public, for example."

"We could always have dinner with your dad," Diggle teased with a smirk.

"Yeah...let's just bring him down here for our next dinner, too," Sara replied with a roll of her eyes. "Oh, by the way, Dad. Not only am I dating John Diggle...but we're also both working with the Arrow…"

"He already knows your identity, right?" Roy spoke up. "Would it really hurt him to know about all of this?"

"He could arrest me," Oliver reminded. "Arrest us all."

"I thought you guys were like BFFs now," Roy said with food in his mouth as he swirled his chopstick around.

"That doesn't mean that it's safe for him to know," Oliver reminded.

"Ollie's right," Sara spoke up. "Though, it WOULD make things less complicated…"

"But also awkward," Tommy brought up. "He'd look at you differently…"

"He's been looking at me differently for the last couple of years…" Oliver reminded. "But I'd still rather keep my identity...and all of ours secret from him for as long as possible."

Oliver's phone went off and Felicity grabbed it before handing it to Oliver. "His ears must be burning…"

Detective Quentin Lance was calling.

Everyone was suddenly silent as Oliver answered the phone. "What can I do for you, Detective?"

The rest of them just focused on eating while Oliver talked to Lance. At least it was keeping them quiet, though Roy was usually the one that she worried about. He still didn't think before he spoke most times. Felicity could hear the phone call, but she was focused on her sushi.

"Slade Wilson has been spotted in The Glades near where CNRI used to stand," Lance reported. "I thought you might want to know."

"I appreciate you keeping me in the loop-"

"I'd appreciate you doing the same," Lance countered. "Since when does the Arrow have a fan club?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Lance sighed. "It used to be you...just the Arrow...and your friends on the sidelines. Then Sara joined up. Now I'm getting reports of a whole group of you."

"We needed a team," Oliver responded. "Sometimes you need help to get the job done."

"You tell my daughter that I don't appreciate her bringing Felicity into all of this. If she's helping you at all, she should be doing her computer genius stuff," Lance practically scolded.

"I don't know what you're talking about-"

"Oh, don't play games with me. I have a blurry picture of one of your new costumed team members...and it's Felicity Smoak. I have no doubt about it." Lance paused for a moment.  
"You keep her safe."

"I'll pass along the message," was all Oliver could think up in order to end the conversation with the detective. "And I will…" He hung up the phone and looked between Sara and Felicity. "I can't believe this…"

"What?" Felicity questioned.

"I'm getting lectured about Felicity's safety because Lance has figured out that you have a costume and were out in it," Oliver looked from Sara and then settled his gaze on Felicity. "Thanks for that…"

"Oh," Felicity replied and cringed slightly. So much for keeping her identity as a costumed hero from Lance. She knew that Oliver certainly wasn't going to be happy with Lance knowing, but at the same time Felicity didn't feel like Lance would reveal her secret OR arrest her.

"It probably wasn't a lot for him to connect after Talia and her assassins attacked us outside in the Verdant parking lot last month," Sara pointed out. "He's not going to do anything. It's Felicity."

"He blames you for her being in the field," Oliver told Sara and Felicity could hear amusement in his voice.

Sara shrugged and Diggle just grinned. "I don't mind taking the blame for it. Felicity IS amazing in the field PLUS it's OUR fault that she had to suit up," Sara reminded. "She came to save us, Ollie...and Merlyn."

Oliver sighed. "I don't like thinking about that."

"That doesn't make any of it LESS time."

Her being in the field WAS a touchy subject for Oliver. She knew that Oliver just wanted to keep her safe (Tommy, too), but she'd proven that she could handle herself. Felicity made a face at Sara, who beamed in return, and then went back to eating her sushi.

It was quiet for a bit between them before Sara spoke up. "I was thinking… If they ARE coming for us, maybe we could use back-up."

"What kind of back-up?" Diggle asked.

It was a good idea, it just depended on the back-up. Felicity knew that Diggle had worked with ARGUS, but he didn't seem to want to bring them up. She really didn't think that was going to happen and doubted Sara was going to suggest that. Though, Felicity didn't know everything that had gone on while she had been taken by Merlyn.

"Nyssa."

"No," Oliver shot down quickly.

"She'd help if I asked her."

"Are you sure?" Diggle questioned.

. . .

"We really need more sleep," Felicity told him with a sigh as she peeled off her coat and hung it up. She set her purse on the entry table, taking her phone with her, and headed off after Oliver. He was checking the windows. He did this now everyday. He liked to sweep the house just to make sure that no one had snuck in. She knew that he was doing it for her safety...their safety...but Felicity felt like he really needed to relax.

Once he'd checked the last window in the front room, his shoulders relaxed just a bit. Felicity knew that nothing she said was going to keep him from checking the rest of the house though. He turned to her and Oliver gave her almost a questioning look. She knew exactly what he was asking her.

"Go," she whispered and motioned towards the bedroom.

After a few minutes, Oliver came back and she just smiled at him. It was obvious that he was relaxed now. The relief of knowing that their sanctuary hadn't been compromised was enough for him right now. She liked to know, too, but she really tried not to be paranoid about it. Home was her sanctuary, it was her safe place… It was safer than the world outside and that was good enough for her. The last thing Felicity wanted was to worry every second of the day that someone might come for them there.

He approached her as she waited and then held out her hands for him, he took them and they stood there for a moment toe to toe. Felicity took a step forward and wrapped his arms around her as she wrapped hers around him. Her eyes closed and she just savored the embrace for a long moment. There was something about being in Oliver's arms. He was truly her home. This was it. This was what mattered. It wasn't the townhouse or the furniture or even the pictures on the wall, it was the two of them.

Felicity and Oliver.

That was it.

"I love you," she whispered as she laid her head across his shoulder.

Oliver swayed them and it was suddenly like they were dancing. Felicity let her head rest on his shoulder and her hands moved up under his black t-shirt. Her hands moves over his toned body. Fingers would occasionally linger over scars. She knew them all… To her, even though they marked everything he'd gone through in those five years...and since then, all the pain. To her, they were the marks of a hero and almost like a map of his life. So to Felicity, they were beautiful.

"I love you," he echoed as his head turned. His lips pressed a kiss into her hair. "Let's go to bed…"

Her nose nuzzled into his neck. He smelled sweaty, but it wasn't like it was unexpected. Oliver worked at QC during the day and then as the Arrow at night. "Shower first," she whispered. In all honesty, she could use one too. Showering at night relaxed her and anything that ached was eased...and then a shower in the morning would wake her enough to make it through the day.

"Shower together?"

"Always," she whispered.

Oliver picked her up quickly, Felicity let out a yelp as she was suddenly cradled in his arms. He kissed her and beamed down at her. Oliver carried her to the bedroom and then into the bathroom. Finally, he let her down to her feet, Oliver turned on the water in the shower, and they both worked at stripping down.

Even though she was exhausted, Felicity found herself wanting him. She knew that he was being cautious about how intimate they got, but she felt ready and she wanted him so badly as she watched his clothes drop to the floor. She wrapped her arms around him without hesitation as her lips found his.

"Let's elope," he whispered.

It took a moment for her to really process his words. Her eyelashes fluttered and she looked up at him, her wants momentarily put on hold. "Wh-what?"

"I want to get married...soon," he told her. "I don't want to wait."

It seemed like such a crazy thing and they couldn't elope. Even though eloping sounded like the most perfect thing to her at the moment. Felicity knew what was expected of them and their wedding. It was supposed to be a big event with far too many people and too many cameras. Moira would expect extravagance that Felicity didn't feel was necessary. If they eloped- "The media doesn't even know we're engaged, Oliver...we haven't done the magazine…"

"I know none of that is actually important to you," he told her gently. Oliver removed her glasses, set them on the sink counter, and then gently pulled out her hairband so that her hair fell down to her shoulders. His hands caressed the delicate skin of her bare shoulders before they rested across them. "Felicity, this is OUR day...not my mother's… She's had TWO weddings-"

"I don't think she knows that," she whispered as she turned her head away. It was hard. There were so many people to please.

Oliver scooped her up again. "Water's getting cold...and I REFUSE to see such a sad expression on your face when discussing our wedding." He carried her into the shower and then lowered Felicity until her feet hit the tiled floor. The shower door was pulled closed and then he was cupping her face in his hands. "Felicity if you don't-"

Her eyes widened. Felicity's hands covered his as thoughts raced through her head. "No! I do! I want to marry you! It's just-"

She didn't want that.

Felicity shook her head. "I just...I wanted to do things OUR way… I don't want a big wedding where I don't know anyone and it's some kind of media circus. I want to be able to pick out what I want you to see me in on the day...what I FEEL beautiful in-"

"You're beautiful in anything...or even without," he said with a smile as he ran his hands up and down her arms. "But I understand...and I agree…"

She understood his reasonings behind getting married sooner than later, or at least she thought she did. He was afraid. Their lives were so dangerous, especially now… What if there was no tomorrow? "Let's get married...soon…" she agreed in a whisper as she stared at him. A smile spread across her face. She really didn't want to wait.

. . .

"You know, I'm a little surprised Oliver let you out of the Foundry...and even more surprised that he let you patrol with me."

Felicity smiled a little. She and Oliver had had a discussion earlier in the day about this. It was hard for him, she knew. She had a feeling that Oliver felt like he was letting go… The thing was, that he was proving it to everyone that she was strong...stronger than others saw her. "Maybe he's just hoping that if we run into your dad that he'll lecture you about it again," Felicity teased Sara.

"Too late. He left me a lecture so long that my voicemail cut him off and he called back and left the rest of it…"

She let out a laugh as they looked out at the city. The two of them hadn't strayed far from the Foundry. Sara's bike was back outside of Verdant if they needed it, but they didn't want to go far. Plus, Tommy was down in the Foundry. If anything major happened that required her to go back and take up her normal position at the computer, then they couldn't be too far. Tommy was good, but he wasn't nearly as good as she was...he still had a lot to learn.

Starling City and the Glades seemed to be overrun with assassins. It had gotten to the point where Felicity had actually asked Sara how many assassins were actually in the League of Assassins. Sara had been vague, but had supplied that there were certainly more than were popping up around them. Felicity really wasn't sure how to take that. Whether to be relieved or worried. The city was in a panic mode state. Which was really not that surprising. The police had suggested a curfew for everyone's safety, but of course...people didn't always stick to it.

"Is this hard for you?"

Sara turned to her. They had been standing on a rooftop, just keeping an eye on things. Tommy would call them if there was any trouble. "What do you mean?" Sara questioned.

"The League… You were part of it for years… Is it hard for you to face them… To go against Talia…"

Her head turned and once again, Sara was gazing out at the city. "It isn't about the League… It's about what's right… Talia's breaking the League's rules… She's threatening our lives and our city in some senseless vendetta… Ra's is probably letting her do it because she's his favorite."

"Not Nyssa?"

Sara shook her head. "No. Talia's always been his favorite."

"Does Talia and the League being here make you miss her? Nyssa?" Felicity questioned. Sara had brought up them asking Nyssa for help, which she knew was probably difficult for a few reasons. The main reason that came to mind was that it could get awkward since Sara and Diggle were fairly happy…

"Sometimes," Sara told her and Felicity could tell that she was being honest.

"Do you love her?"

Sara turned to look at her again. "I love John."

"I know." Felicity was quiet again. "But do you love her?"

"Yes," Sara confided. "I will probably always love her. It's different. My love for her and what I feel about John…"

They were both quiet for a long while. Felicity was certain that Sara didn't love having such intimate questions asked, but she figured that it was better to ask them now...no guys around to hear the answers. It was just them. They were friends and sometimes Felicity felt like that kind of truth needed to be spoken aloud…

"Would it be dangerous for Nyssa if she DID come out here and help us?" Felicity finally asked.

Sara smiled at her. "So full of questions tonight."

"Are you really surprise?" she replied with a smile.

"I'd rather play twenty questions with you than with Oliver."

"Thought so."

"And it's always dangerous...for Nyssa...for me...for all of us… We're all risking the wrath of Ra's al Ghul, but that doesn't mean we should stand around and do nothing," Sara explained. "I really do think that Nyssa would help us...even if it means telling her that I'm with John… She'd come if I asked… She'd come because it was ME asking for help."

"I know Oliver's against it, but I say you should ask her to come help," Felicity voiced. "Just let her know that she's not allowed to accidentally allowed to put an arrow or knife or really...any weapon into any of our people."

. . .

TBC…


	49. It Ends Here

"You okay?"

"I don't think I've ever had so much make-up on…"

"Yeah…" Thea said slowly. "But we're going to look absolutely flawless on camera."

Felicity smiled at her little sister. That was TRUE. They were both dressed in robes and Felicity was trying to keep calm. Her hair had been done, it was curled and sprayed, she just hoped that it stayed in place until pictures started. "So… I don't even know what I'm wearing…"

"Don't worry," Thea told her brightly. "I picked it out. They'll be a change to make, but I hope that you like them… There's also shoes...and accessories…"

She'd agreed to let Moira do all of the planning for this photoshoot and she couldn't help, but be relieved to find out that Moira had put Thea in charge of her clothing. "We better get ready… You know Roy and Oliver, they're already over it. We need to get these photos done quickly…"

"Before Slade Wilson and Isabel Rochev descend on Starling City again?"

Felicity made a face. "I was hoping they were taking the day off."

Thea's head moved to one side and then to the other, Felicity figured that she was thinking that idea over. "It would be really helpful if they would post their schedule online…"

She couldn't help, but laugh at that. "I would actually appreciate that…"

"Right? Me too…" After a moment, Thea moved over to the closet in the room they were in and opened it to reveal dresses. "Okay, so we need to do the group picture first...which means blue for me and purple for you." Thea passed Felicity her dress.

The dress was beautiful, far more than Felicity would have expected to wear. "Wow…" she whispered as she gently laid the dress down over the bed.

"Did I do well?"

She looked over to Thea, who was already pulling on her own dress. "You definitely did."

Felicity dropped her robe and carefully stepped into the purple dress, pulling it on and looking at it in the mirror. Thea came up behind her and zipped it up. The dress was a dark purple, the fabric had some metallic properties as it changed depending on the lighting. The hem of the dress fell right above the knee and it hugged her body. The dress itself was rouched with an off the shoulder embellished neckline. It was definitely not a dress that required a necklace. Her hand ran up and down her stomach for a moment as she felt the fabric. It was a little almost surreal as she stared at herself. This was who she would have been if she'd been raised in the Merlyn Mansion. She sucked in breath and reminded herself that she needed to stay calm, she couldn't get emotional.

"Felicity?"

"It's just…"

"You look beautiful," Thea told her as she hugged Felicity from the side.

Felicity stared at their side by side reflection. Thea's short dark hair had been curled and just looked really elegant with her dark blue dress. It was the same length as Felicity's except it was strapless with a sweetheart neckline and had beaded embellishment along the neckline and the hemline. Thea already had her jewelry on and looked ready to go. "Is it silly that I'm worried?"

"No," Thea told her, staring into the mirror at their reflection as well. "This is a big deal for you. You're not used to the media frenzy. You're going to have to be very public about your engagement and I know that you would rather keep it quiet…"

"But it'll be good publicity."

"Life isn't all about good publicity," Thea reminded.

Felicity turned her head to look directly at Thea. "I don't think your mother knows that."

"I think you're right."

There was a knock on the door and Felicity suddenly felt more nervous, even though that didn't seem possible. She wanted to be perfect, more so for Moira so there wouldn't be any arguments or disagreements later on. She already knew that Oliver would tell her how beautiful she was and try to assure her that it was going to be okay. Thea moved to get the door before she could say anything else. Felicity waited and then let out a breath of relief when it was just Roy and Oliver. She just wasn't quite ready to see Moira yet.

"Wow…" Roy exclaimed.

Felicity smiled as she watched Roy and Thea. She was glad that they were happy. Things had been harder on Thea in different ways, she'd been hit harder by truths and lies...she'd been more emotionally invested in the family and she'd been on an emotional rollercoaster since Merlyn had taken them. The thing was, Thea was still so young. Felicity still thought of her little sister as a child. Legally, Thea was an adult...but Felicity felt like in a lot of ways, she'd been forced to grow up too much. Watching her happy with Roy, it made Felicity feel more at peace with everything that they had been through and what lie ahead.

"You look absolutely stunning," Oliver told her as he came to a stop at her side.

Beaming, she turned to him. "And as always, you clean up quite well…"

"Black bow tie for the first picture and then...well, I'm not sure what I have to change in the couple picture...all I know is that it's a couple picture," Oliver told her.

"Don't worry," she told him as she brushed off some lint from his jacket. "I don't know what I'm wearing either…"

"I would prefer us at home...and then you could wear nothing," he whispered into her ear and then kissed her there.

Felicity giggled. "I would prefer that, too."

. . .

The photos went smoothly enough for the family photos, or at least that was how Felicity felt. She knew that Oliver kept getting more and more tense, the more his mother tried to move Felicity away from him in the pictures. Felicity honestly didn't care. This was for the company more than anything else. They needed this and they could both smile through it all.

"Perfect!" the photographer exclaimed after what felt like the thousandth picture.

The first set of pictures were of the Queen family, which included her and Roy. They'd done some shots of Thea and Oliver with just Moira, but most of them had included everyone. The guys were in black tie attire while she was in the purple dress, Thea was in her navy blue dress, and Moira was dressed in a floor length A-line dress with a side slit. Moira's dress was navy blue, like Thea's, with an off the shoulder scalloped neckline. The top part of it was an illusion mesh that almost looked like it was lace with beading throughout. It gathered at the waist and was flourished off to the left with a rhinestone applique. It was elegant and beautiful and very much Moira Queen.

"Now, we're doing a clothing change, right?"

"That's right," Moira confirmed.

"Couples pictures?"

"If you wouldn't mind. I'd like to have individual shots, couples, and then myself with each couple," Moira explained. "Your boss said that that was possible and that I would be able to have a disk with all of the photos taken today."

"Of course, Mrs. Queen. Anything you want."

"Come on," Thea said as she guided Felicity back towards the room that the two of them had been changing in.

Felicity had been going with the idea of not talking while they were doing pictures and letting Moira do all of the communicating with the photographer. She didn't want to be lashed out at later and definitely didn't want to have to deal with Moira's rage if a 'scene' was made. It just seemed easier and smarter that way.

"Do you think we could have sister pictures?" Thea asked as she unzipped Felicity's dress.

She'd actually thought about that. That she wished that Tommy had come along, but she knew that they could always have pictures taken later on down the road...or at least she hoped that they had that time. Felicity felt like they kept getting reminded that they really didn't have that much time. Time wasn't a given. "Maybe not today. Not sure your mom would approve…"

"I don't care."

Felicity just looked at Thea.

"What?"

"You know what…"

"Well, we NEED sister pictures...even if they're taken in a parking lot," Thea told her. "I NEED them. And also, I suppose we should have a picture with Tommy."

Felicity beamed. "He MIGHT feel left out if we're just taking sister pictures and excluding him all of the time…"

"What he doesn't know, doesn't hurt him," Thea whispered with a laugh as she hung their dresses back up and retrieved the new ones.

"White?" Felicity questioned when a white dress that looked similar to the purple one she just had on was pulled along with a gold beaded one. She was certain that the white one was to make a statement about the engagement.

Thea shrugged. "You should have seen the dress Mom WANTED to get instead."

"Was it black?" Felicity asked as she accepted the dress.

"No, but the dress she's changing into is…"

Felicity sighed. "I'm sure she'd be overjoyed if she had my funeral to look forward to instead of a wedding…"

"Don't say that!"

"You know it's TRUE!"

"It doesn't mean that I like HEARING it," Thea scolded as she pulled on the gold beaded dress. Like the dress she'd just had on, it hit her above the knees though this one was about two inches shorter than the last. The whole dress was made out of mesh illusion fabric that looked like Thea was wearing just the beads. It was beautiful on her, especially with her bronze skin tone. The beading detail was intricate and a beaded crystal belt broke up the detailing in the dress and defined the waist. She watched for a moment as Thea moved to change her heels. She was beautiful and Felicity was glad to be able to see Thea in this element. It was something that came so natural to Thea. This was the world that she'd grown up in.

It was almost a little too much to wear the white dress. It was the same shape and rouched like the last dress. It fell to right above the knees like the last one, but the neckline on it was different. The white was stark, but it really shouted bridal. There was a slight slight up the back of the dress, but the neckline was really the special part of the dress. It was sheer with a Victorian beaded motif that turned into cap sleeves and met the dress. Felicity stared at herself in the mirror, she and Thea hadn't even gone and looked at wedding dresses or talked about it yet...it almost felt too fast.

"You okay?"

"I don't know."

"Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful, Thea...it's just-"

"I know it's not a wedding dress and it's not the one that you would CHOOSE, if it WAS," Thea told her. "But I thought you would like it."

She wanted to say that it was too fancy, too beautiful, and too good for her...but Thea was right. She DID like it. If she'd grown up as a Merlyn, it would have been something that she would have chosen on her own. "It's perfect, Thea…"

"Just remember, make a big deal of the ring," Thea told her as she held up Felicity's hand. "And ignore my mom…"

"Easier said than done."

"Focus on Ollie."

Felicity was fairly sure that she could do that. It was easier when it was a big group, but she also knew that Oliver wouldn't let Moira do anything mean...not even with an audience. She just wanted to get it done, so that they could go home. It wasn't often that they were all at Queen Mansion anymore. Felicity was sure that she spent far more time at Merlyn's mansion nowadays.

"You ready?" Thea asked. "I'm pretty sure they want to adjust hair and adjust the make-up."

"Yeah," she said as she stared into the mirror. Just a little longer and she could go back to looking like Felicity Smoak.

. . .

"You know, it doesn't sound THAT bad!"

Felicity thought about it for a moment, to her, it was torture, but it was probably more so because Moira had had all of the control and Felicity had to have been on her best behavior during the photoshoot. Those were the hard things about it. "I know! I just-"

"I know!"

"Are you two going to have this whole conversation right now?" Diggle asked them, he was obviously a little irked by it.

Felicity let loose another arrow, hitting an assassin in the leg as Sara and Diggle continued to fight them using hand to hand. It wasn't their fault that Slade Wilson, Isabel Rochev, and the League of Assassins in town decided not to take time off. She wondered if there was a way to call a truce, even if it was just for one night. She could really use a good sleep. "I guess it can wait," Felicity told him as her arrow now went flying in Isabel's direction. She didn't hit Isabel since she moved right before the arrow could take purchase, but it was close. Felicity let out a huff and moved on to her next target.

"Roy and I are going after Slade!" Oliver's voice boomed through their earpieces. "He's heading into Starling City!"

"We'll be there as soon as we can," Diggle responded.

She knew that it wasn't good for her to be keeping track of what was going on with conversations around her when she was supposed to be concentrating, but she didn't like it when they were split up. Sara and Diggle were there PLUS Oliver and Roy were somewhere else. There was a lot going on and it was hard for her to really concentrate on what was going on. Felicity was trying to injure rather than kill, except when her shots came to Isabel.

"FELICITY!"

Suddenly, it was like she was overwhelmed by not only assassins that had seemed to have come out of nowhere, but also Isabel. As she was taught, she used her bow as if it were a melee weapon. Sara and Diggle were there trying to distract the assassins away from her.

Focus.

Breathe.

Don't overthink.

Felicity was trying to do everything that she'd been taught, but at one point she realized that that just wasn't enough. In the past couple of months, she'd proven that she could hold her own ground when it came to the invading assassins and even Isabel. Tonight, it didn't seem like her best was enough as her back hit the ground. The sound of her bow clattering out of her reach on the rooftop filled her ears as panic filled her chest. Isabel was on top of her, blades in her hands.

This was it.

This was the end.

Life really was far too short.

No matter how hard she tried, Felicity couldn't adjust the position or attain an advantage. Isabel had her pinned and she suddenly felt as if her life was over...and all of her regrets and fears started to bubble to the surface. Oliver had proposed to her and had wanted to get married soon because they really had had the fact that life is short slapped in their faces recently...now, their marriage would never happen… Oliver would blame himself. She KNEW that was going to happen, even if it wasn't his fault.

It wasn't his fault.

"How does it feel knowing that you're going to die and he's not going to be here to save you?" Isabel gloated as the blades pressed against the skin of her throat. "He'll find your bloody corpse on this roof and there's nothing he can do to save you… He failed you."

Felicity was really trying to keep her tears back. She didn't want to show Isabel weakness. She didn't want to give her that satisfaction. "He's here," Felicity whispered with confidence as a small smile slide across her face. No matter what, Oliver was always with her. She loved him and he loved her and he was ALWAYS with her, even when he was on the other side of the city. It was enough to distract Isabel from her mission to kill her just for a moment, Felicity had expected to live for just an extra moment...to have that time to focus on the perfect memory as Isabel killed her. Instead, the look on Isabel's face as she expelled blood onto Felicity's face and the feeling of her blades just slicing through the skin of her neck were blurred into her next moment.

"Felicity!"

She just blinked and tears fell down her face. She didn't care anymore. Felicity let out a sob suddenly as she realized what had happened. Isabel was dead. An arrow had killed her, an arrow, which had shot through Isabel and had hit her. Felicity knew that it wasn't bad. It probably wouldn't even require stitches, it was more the realization of what had happened and the position she was in. Felicity had been prepared to die…

"Felicity!"

"Get her off of her!"

"Felicity!"

"Hey! Talk to us!"

It was all a blur. Felicity really didn't snap out of it until she was being shaken. Her eyes widened, tears still continued to run down her face, as she stared up at Merlyn. She had known that he'd taken the shot. Oliver was on the other side of the city going after Slade, no matter how much she'd wanted him there...there was no way that he'd been there. "I-I-I...and Isabel-"

"She's dead," Merlyn said firmly.

Sara was holding her hand up against Felicity's chest, apparently to keep pressure on the wound from the arrow. She looked at Sara and could tell from the look on her face that she'd freaked everyone out. Felicity just focused on breathing before finally speaking up. "It's hard to breathe," she pushed out as her eyes watered a she tried to suck in a deep breath.

"Let's get her back to the Foundry," Diggle said as he helped her to her feet. "Can you walk?"

Felicity nodded as Diggle placed her own hand over the wound. "My bow-"

"I got it," Sara said quickly.

"Does Oliver know?"

"Not yet," Diggle answered. He was guiding her towards the door that led down into the building they were on top of.

"Wait until he's done with Slade," she whispered. Felicity didn't want him to be distracted. She was going to be fine, so there really wasn't any need to tell him anything until he could think clearly.

"Okay."

"Okay," she whispered to herself.

Isabel Rochev was dead.

Talia al Ghul was dead.

Ra's al Ghul and the League of Assassins would be coming for them.

Merlyn had killed Isabel.

Merlyn had saved her.

. . .

"You okay?"

"Oliver's going to-"

"I asked if YOU were okay," Sara said slowly. Her hand ran down Felicity's arm and eventually Felicity nodded. "Not too much pain?"

"It's okay…" she responded slowly. Everything had been a blur to her after Isabel had been killed and she'd been struck by the arrow in turn. Felicity hadn't lost much blood and she didn't even feel like she had been too badly injured, but Diggle had told her that she'd gone into mild shock. In the blur, she'd asked them not to tell Oliver until he was no longer fighting Slade, to keep him from being distracted. So far she knew, they'd respected her wishes. She'd heard Diggle talking to Oliver and explaining everything to him. "My jacket-"

Sara beamed at her. "You were nearly killed and you're worried about your jacket? Maybe we should check you for a concussion."

"With Isabel dead, Slade isn't going to stop-"

"I patched up your jacket while John worked on you," Sara explained. "Even got the blood out…"

"Thank you," she said quietly. Sitting up slowly and with Sara's help, Felicity looked around. Oliver would be there soon, but at the same time she knew that they couldn't slow down. They couldn't take it easy. She needed to be in the field. "Sara, with Isabel...Talia...gone...does this mean we need to worry more about Ra's al Ghul and the League of Assassins?"

"Let me worry about that."

Felicity froze for a moment before looking for Merlyn. She hadn't realized that he was there. She supposed that it made sense. He'd been there, he'd technically been the one who had injured her...but he'd saved her at the same time. Felicity knew that Merlyn hadn't meant for her to get hurt, but life just wasn't simple...least of all...their lives. "Thank you...for saving my life," she told him. It was still often hard for him to see him as a good guy...let alone her father. Malcolm Merlyn had been the Dark Archer and nemesis to the Hood...Arrow...which in turn meant Team Arrow.

"I'm just sorry that I hurt you in the process," Merlyn said. He was standing out of the way and against the wall. It was shadowy there and she wondered if he was purposely trying to disappear into it.

"Digg said that it's not bad...practically a scratch."

"You took stitches."

"I did?" Felicity asked. She didn't remember stitches.

"Two," Sara supplied. "Nothing major."

Felicity sat there and just tried to clear her brain. She felt foggy and tired. She was sore, but Diggle had given her some over the counter pain medication. It was enough. She was afraid if she took anything stronger that it would knock her out. He was obviously watching her because Diggle knew exactly what she needed as he pushed an open cold bottle of water into her hand.

"Drink," Diggle told her gently. "Oliver's almost here and we all know that he's going to be flipping out…"

"It's not that bad, though, right?" Felicity asked him in between sips. Two stitches couldn't be that bad. Sara brought over a mirror and Diggle pushed back her sports bra and the gauze just enough for her to see where he'd stitched. It really wasn't bad at all and she was almost surprised he'd stitched her, but she supposed that it would probably heal better. "He's still going to be upset." She sighed and then pushed the gauze back into place before leaving it alone.

"He's Oliver."

Felicity gave Diggle a small smile. The sound of the door at the top of the stairs closing echoed followed by heavy footfalls. She cringed at each step and looked between Merlyn, Sara, and Diggle. She really wasn't sure she was ready for this. When she heard voices, she realized that it wasn't just Roy and Oliver...Tommy was there. Just what they all needed...Oliver and Tommy flipping out about a scratch. Felicity stopped her thinking for a moment and backed up to that thought. She was starting to think like Oliver, Diggle, and Sara. She really wasn't sure if that was a good thing. They all would come in bleeding and it would look like they needed a doctor, they'd stitch themself up, and say it was a scratch…

"Hey...how are you doing?" Oliver asked gently as his eyes met hers and he moved towards her. He pushed the hood back and removed the mask. His hand took hers and he seemed to be checking her over. Oliver pressed a kiss against her forehead before doing anything else.

"I'm okay," she told him and was still waiting for the yelling. Even Diggle and Sara had seemed surprised at how quiet and gentle Oliver's voice had been and they'd given them some space.

Oliver's fingers ran along her neck and she'd forgotten that Isabel's blades had dug into her skin at one point. "Diggle said it was close, but-"

"If Merlyn hadn't shot her, I would have been dead…" Felicity whispered. "She was going to kill me, Oliver."

Oliver turned towards where Merlyn had been standing in silence and shadow. "Thank you."

Felicity would never have guessed that response from Oliver. She had no idea if Diggle had given him some kind of lecture beforehand about how he needed to conduct himself, but it had thrown her. She LIKED it, but it was still sort of hard for her to wrap her brain around his response to her injury. She appreciated him having faith in her, but at the same time...she did liked to be hugged and protected. These were odd and dangerous times they were living in though...and Felicity knew that they all had to evolve in order to combat their enemies.

"I hadn't meant to hurt her in the process," Merlyn explained quietly.

"Wait...you SHOT her?" Tommy suddenly exploded.

"I HAD to."

"He shot Isabel," Oliver explained and his hands crossed over her chest until his fingers extended like Isabel's blades had to the points where she was probably cut. "To keep Isabel from killing Felicity… We're lucky it didn't go deeper… Diggle said it wasn't bad."

"Two stitches," Felicity confirmed. She watched as Tommy seemed to be trying to figure out how to feel about things. Her gaze moved to Oliver. "What about Slade?"

"Still out there."

"There's tomorrow."

"We're not going to be waiting that long," Sara spoke up as she moved through the Foundry in a hurry. "There are already new sightings in Starling City AND the Glades. We've got to go."

Felicity sat there for a moment as she watched everyone. She wasn't sure if she should be going OR if Oliver was going to argue her over it. It was a little odd, how crowded the Foundry had become. It was nice in some ways, but sometimes...she missed it when it was just her and her guys.

"You coming?" Oliver asked her.

Felicity nodded.

"I'm going, too," Tommy spoke up. "Doesn't Roy have like an extra hoodie?"

Felicity and Oliver just stared in his direction for a long moment.

"You guys can use all the help you can get, right?"

. . .

Felicity wasn't exactly sure HOW it had happened, but not only was Tommy out with them, but so was Thea. They'd all separated to try and take care of every sighting that popped up. Tommy had gone with Diggle and Merlyn; Oliver and Roy were together; and then Felicity, Thea, and Sara were out together. It was sort of nice to just have the ladies of the group together, plus Felicity figured that it would be less stressful on Thea. She and Sara would look out for her, but Thea wouldn't have any big brothers or boyfriend freaking out about her safety.

"Uh...should there be so many bodies on this street?" Thea asked.

They all came to a sudden stop and scanned the street. Weapons came out and were readied. The bodies weren't just of random citizens of that area, either. They were assassins, dressed in black. They littered the street ahead. Felicity counted at least ten that she could see from where she stood.

Out of nowhere, a black silk dropped ahead of them and spiralling down was someone rather unexpected. Felicity's mouth hung open at not only how completely mind blowing the entrance was, but trying to figure out how she'd done it. A moment later, she collected herself and tried to figure out if this was a good thing or an 'oh shit' moment. It could go either way.

"Nyssa," Sara spoke up. Her voice was soft and gentle and there was a mix of emotion. Felicity looked to Sara, waiting for some indication of what they should do since she'd noticed Thea was uncertain as well.

"You keep such...peculiar company," Nyssa said slowly and directly to Sara.

Sara was smiling now. "I was like them once…"

"Once."

Felicity was hoping that since no one was exchanging shots or attacking that this meant that Nyssa WASN'T there to kill them all. Score one for Team Arrow. They didn't get enough points in anyway nowadays. They could use all the help they could get, even if the guys didn't approve.

"I didn't expect you…" Sara said quietly as Nyssa walked towards them.

"I...was not sure that I would be welcome," Nyssa told her slowly. "I heard about Talia… My father will not appreciate my presence here, let alone in support of you and your...misfits…"

"I know losing your sister must be-"

Nyssa closed the distance between them and Felicity just watched as Nyssa kissed Sara. It was long and passionate and she was certain that Diggle would be jealous if he was there. Felicity knew that Oliver wasn't going to be happy about this and she had NO idea how Merlyn would respond, but they NEEDED Nyssa. She would be able to help them...against Slade and possibly Ra's al Ghul.

"Uh…" Thea mumbled as they stared.

Sara looked shocked and finally pushed away. "I-uh-I appreciate you coming here, Nyssa, but you should know...I'm in a relationship."

"With the Arrow?" Nyssa questioned. "Or one of them?" she asked as she turned her gaze to Felicity and Thea.

Sara was beaming now and blushing. "No. Not with any of them. He's on our team-"

"I suppose that you would appreciate me assisting you without killing him…"

Felicity found herself raising her hand up in the air, as if she was in school wanting to be called on. "I would REALLY appreciate you not killing him...AND helping us."

Nyssa just smirked in response.

"Are you SURE about this?" Sara asked, Felicity noticed how Sara put her hand on Nyssa's arm.

"I pledge my allegiance to you, Ta-er al-Sahfer," Nyssa told her with a slight bow. Felicity didn't know exactly what it was about Nyssa. Something made her seem so graceful...and deadly...she was like this elegant deathbringer. Felicity supposed that that was probably what made her such a good assassin. "And I will not eliminate your current love interest...unless he gives me cause to do so."

"I think I like her," Thea spoke up slowly with a smile.

"Oh, we definitely like her," Felicity told her little sister. She looked back in Nyssa's direction. "As long as she doesn't kill people we like…"

"No promises," Nyssa told Felicity with her perfectly elegant accent.

. . .

Talia al Ghul was dead.

There was no rest.

As long as Slade Wilson and the assassins from Nanda Parbat roamed the streets of Starling City and the Glades, no one was safe. Their city was at risk. They were doing the best that they could to keep it from burning...from being destroyed. It wasn't easy and it was taking every single one of them.

Tonight was the night.

They'd all agreed.

Tonight was the night that they ended it all. They were taking the fight to Slade. Finding him was easy enough. All they had to do was to look for the build up of 'ninjas' as Starling City Police were still calling them. They'd put in a call to Lance to have the police set up a perimeter and to keep people out of that area. They'd handle the rest.

It was a trial by fire, their new team.

Family and enemies working together as one. Felicity knew that they had to look like such a group of misfits to the outside world, but they would do what they had to to make it work.

"You three should keep-"

"We'll be fine, Dad," Tommy interrupted as the group walked towards where Slade and the assassins were assembled.

They were outnumbered, but that wasn't going to stop any of them.

Thea and Tommy were suited up in their own makeshift outfits. Felicity knew that none of them expected them to really join the team, but right now they could use the two extra sets of trained hands. Felicity knew the plan, they all did. Oliver had wanted the three of them to stay more towards the center. He would have probably have had Roy stay in the middle as well if not for the Mirakuru. They all had their strengths, but it was strategic to do it Oliver's way. It would give Felicity the ability to knock off assassins from a distance, but it would also give Tommy and Thea a chance to engage one assassin at a time instead of multiples all at once. It would also keep them all a good distance from Slade Wilson.

"You have a new team, I see, Kid," Slade spoke up. He sounded amused. "No matter… They'll all be dead soon enough."

"We end this TONIGHT, Slade!" Oliver shouted.

They ALL wanted this to end.

"It will end, Kid!" Slade replied. "With Ra's al Ghul burning this city to the ground!" Immediately, Slade came running towards them. Oliver moved towards him, too, they met in the middle.

Felicity focused on what she was supposed to do, but knew that she also needed to keep an eye on her siblings. They could defend themselves, but she'd had more extensive training. If they needed back up, then she needed to be it.

It felt like they were out there all night, but then it seemed to come to a screeching halt when Thea's scream pulled Felicity's attention from targeting assassins that seemed like they kept crawling out of the shadows without limit. Tommy was trying to intervene, but somehow...there were nearly seven assassins practically on top of Thea. Felicity started to move towards them, but Merlyn was suddenly there. She didn't stop, she kept moving towards her sister.

And then it was all over in a moment.

Assassins fled and Felicity came to a stop at the feet of a body. Her bow slid from her grasp as she stared down at him. He was still alive, but Felicity knew not for long. Merlyn had an arrow stuck deep in his chest. She knew that he'd survived when Oliver had put an arrow through himself in order to kill Merlyn before, but this was different...if he was okay, he would have said something. Malcolm Merlyn was dying.

Thea was sobbing at his side. Felicity could just barely understand what Thea kept saying. She kept telling him that she was sorry. Tears flooded her face as Felicity as she dropped to the ground and kneeled by his side. Tommy was there a moment later, holding onto her. She felt so conflicted. He was a horrible person, she knew that, she remembered every horrible thing he'd done to her...but he was still her father.

Their father.

Not everything he'd done was horrible…

Not everything.

"Don't cry…" Merlyn whispered. A smile was on his face as he reached up and brushed a tear away from Thea's face. "No one's going to hurt my children…"

Thea started to push words through her tears. "I'm sorry-"

"Shh…"

"We're here, Dad," Tommy told him. Felicity could tell that he was trying to stay strong, but she could hear his voice breaking with emotion.

"You have to take care of each other. Family...family is important."

Felicity sniffled and looked around, realizing that none of them had been making sure that no one was going to sneak up on any of them and try to kill them. Oliver and the others were standing over Slade's body. She didn't know what had happened, but it looked like they were all okay...that the city was safe. She looked back to Merlyn. How could she feel like this? How could she cry for him? How could she grieve?

Merlyn took her hand and she looked down at the hand before looking right at him. What did she say to him? She couldn't think of anything that seemed right. Felicity wanted to say that he was going to be okay, but she knew that that was wrong. When she looked at him, he was so many things to her...so many different conflicting things. There didn't seem like there was anything RIGHT to say or do in that moment.

"I'm sorry...I won't be there on your wedding day," Merlyn whispered and then coughed. "I wanted you to be happy...you know...all of you… I just wanted to be a good father…" His eyes closed and a smile spread across his face. "Tale as old as time," he started to sing so softly that you wouldn't know the words he sang unless you knew the words to the song. "Tune as old as song...bittersweet and strange." He paused for a moment, he wheezed and then coughed up blood. His bright blue eyes opened and he was still smiling. "Finding you can change…" The last words that left his lips were more mouthed than sung out loud for anyone to hear. "Learning you were wrong…"

Those were his final words.

Felicity felt sick. It was like it hit all of them at the same time. Tommy pulled her into his arms, but she felt like Thea really needed the comfort. She was still SO young, that's all Felicity could think. Thea was too young for all of this. She'd gone through so much already. It wasn't fair to her. She deserved to be happy. Oliver was there, comforting her before Felicity could voice her concern.

"I've got you, Speedy," Oliver told Thea.

She clung to Tommy and tried to keep from looking at Merlyn's lifeless form, his eyes looking upward towards the sky. Here he was...dead in the streets of Starling City...he'd died protecting his daughter...trying to save the city...and no one would ever know that he'd tried to change. Felicity felt like it was so unfair in a way. She just...she didn't know what to think about it. Life was unfair, just kept turning in her head.

Sirens echoed and it seemed like everyone was standing around them. "We can't stay here," Sara announced.

"We can't leave Merlyn here," Diggle added.

"Or Slade."

Oliver helped Thea to her feet. "We need some place SECURE to house Slade. We can't just put him in Iron Heights, not with Mirakuru in his system."

"The Tibetan Pit Viper venom will not last forever," Nyssa spoke up.

"ARGUS," Diggle suggested. "And they should be able to get their hands on more."

Felicity and Tommy got up and she realized that Sara had picked up her forgotten bow. Sara pushed it back into her hands before running a hand along her shoulder and then down her arm. She knew that she was trying to show concern and comfort. She watched as Oliver bent down and used his fingers to slide Merlyn's eyelids down over his open eyes. He lifted him up over his shoulder and turned to them.

"Let's get Slade moved out of sight and make the calls we need to make," Oliver instructed.

"What about him?" Thea whispered.

"We'll make sure that he gets the burial he deserves."

They had gained an ally, but they'd lost one as well.

Malcolm Merlyn.

Her father.

Felicity tried to come to terms with her emotions, but they were all over the place. The city was safe. Isabel was dead. Slade was...disabled...for now. She knew that it should feel like a win, but it didn't. Merlyn had tortured her and ruined her life, but at the same time...he'd trained her and he'd TRIED to be a father to her… Because of him, she and Oliver had been fast tracked to where they were now. She didn't know if she'd go back and make all the same choices, but Felicity knew that she was stronger because of him.

"Let's go home," Felicity whispered.

. . .

TBC…


	50. Never Letting You Go

**TWO WEEKS LATER...**

Hope.

Happiness.

Love.

Excitement.

She knew that those were all things that she was supposed to be feeling right at that moment, but her mind was wandering to how things might have been. Malcolm Merlyn was never going to be the one to walk her down the aisle, but he was still her father...and in the end, he'd tried to be that. Felicity had been having even more nightmares, but they'd always start off now with her in the yellow dress dancing with her father in the backyard as he sang "Beauty and the Beast" to her and then it would always end up with Merlyn dying.

She'd been grappling with her feelings and she knew that she hadn't been the only one. Oliver had been trying to help, but there was only so much you could say or do in that kind of situation. Sometimes, you just had to work through it on your own. You had to figure it out as you went along. Felicity was trying to do that the best that she could. Today, though, she knew that her thoughts should be happier than they were.

"Felicity?"

Thea's voice brought her out of her trance and Felicity just nodded before looking over her shoulder towards her sister. "Yeah?"

"Did you hear what I said?"

Felicity opened her mouth and couldn't come up with what Thea had asked her. "No," she told her finally. She made a face. "Sorry…"

"Do you think you could give us a minute?" Thea asked Sara, who was all smiles today and seemed more than happy to just step out of the room. Thea waited until Sara had left the room before speaking again. Felicity wasn't sure WHY Sara couldn't be there because they just didn't keep secrets from each other. She supposed that it was possible that Thea just wanted a sister moment. "You've been really...not with us...lately," Thea said as she sat down next to her. They stared into the mirror in front of them. "Where have you been?"

"He should be here."

Thea sighed. "I know. I keep thinking that and then I get upset with myself for thinking that because he was evil, right?"

Felicity turned to Thea. "Was he?"

"He kidnapped us and he-"

"He was mentally ill, Thea," Felicity said gently. "I can forget everything else… It made us all stronger...and if he hadn't kidnapped us, then we would have never known we were sisters… Tommy wouldn't be back… I would be all alone."

"You were NEVER alone, Felicity," Thea told her.

Felicity let out a short laugh as tears formed in her eyes. She noticed them forming in Thea's as well. It was hard NOT to be emotional. It was sort of nice to have the time to actually feel and be emotional and to really deal with it all. "Without him...without our father...we both would have died two weeks ago...maybe Tommy too… Maybe all of us…"

"I have nightmares-"

"Me too," Felicity told her as she put an arm around Thea. She held her close and laid her head on Thea's shoulder as she stared at the two of them in the mirror. "But his dying wish was for us to be happy...and we're going to do that… The three of us, we're going to be happy…"

"Easier said than done…"

"It's going to be done," Felicity told her with confidence. "We're going to be happy."

"There are still secrets," Thea reminded her.

"And there always will be," Felicity said gently as she squeezed Thea's hand. "You just have to come to terms with how to live with those secrets without them feeling like lies…"

Thea stared at her for a long moment. "How do you do that?"

"I remember WHY I'm keeping them," Felicity replied after thinking about it for a moment. "How keeping those secrets are keeping people safe...how they're doing more good being kept quiet than spoken by the world."

"You make it sound easy."

"It's not."

Thea just nodded for a moment. She seemed to be taking in what Felicity had said and really processing it. "But Merlyn...I just...I don't know if I can really get it out of my head-"

"Was it a hero? Was he a villain?" Felicity asked quickly. "None of that matters, Thea." She stared at her again for a long moment, as if waiting for Felicity to say more. So, she did. "All that mattered was he was our father and in the end...his last acts were those of love." She squeezed Thea's hand. "And today, the only tears there should be are happy ones," Felicity told her as she tried to wipe away her tears without smudging her make-up and ruining it completely.

"You're right," Thea finally said. They were both quiet for a long few minutes as they wiped tears away and just held onto each other. "We should get you into your dress…" she told her. "It's nearly time."

Time had gone by so quickly.

Months ago, time had seemed to stand still.

Everything that had happened...it had brought them to this point and Felicity knew that her past self even one year ago wouldn't have believed her. There she was about to get married to Oliver Queen. Thea pulled out her dress and it just made it all so perfect. Her dress was strapless with a sweetheart neckline, a lace applique and beaded bodice with a flowing skirt made most of sheer material that had splatterings of the lace and beading throughout. It was simple and that's probably why Felicity loved it so much.

Slowly, she stepped into the dress and Thea helped her with it, zipping her up in it. Felicity's hair had been curled and pinned elaborately and Thea had bought little sparkly clips that she'd already put in. Felicity felt like a princess and it suddenly felt so much closer to real now that the dress was on and it was the day. Over the last two weeks, they'd been planning and just not telling Moira. They wanted a simple wedding that was THEIR day. Oliver's mother would be, of course, invited...along with Walter, but she wasn't going to run or ruin things.

The future was theirs.

That day was theirs.

Moira wouldn't change that.

"Okay, you're going to make me cry again," Thea confessed. "And I KNOW you wanted a veil and I was so adamant about you not wearing one...but Sara and I went back and got one anyways…"

A veil.

It didn't seem like a lot, but it was something that Felicity had wanted. She didn't know why it had seemed so important, but there was something so beautiful at a wedding when the groom lifted the veil and fully saw you for the first time. She'd chalked it up to too many romantic movies, but here she was about ready to cry at the thought of wearing one.

"I'll get Sara," Thea said as she just smiled at Felicity. "We wanted it to be a surprise."

For a minute, she just stared in the mirror and tried so hard not to cry. It was such an emotional day and it was almost like a dream. So much had happened that it was almost hard to believe that this day was actually happening...that she'd make it out of that room and down the aisle...that Oliver would be there waiting...that they'd make it through the whole ceremony without the city needing to be saved.

The door opened again and it wasn't only Thea who entered. Sara and Thea were both carefully handing the veil. Felicity had just planned on getting a simple plain one, but this one was so much better. It had lace around the edges and delicate beading. It was beautiful and she knew that this day, though emotionally overwhelming, was going to be so perfect. She had every single person in the world that she wanted there.

"He insisted on crashing the party," Thea told her as she motioned to Tommy, who had snuck in behind them.

"I wanted to give something to you before the wedding," Tommy explained.

"Oh!" Thea exclaimed. "Me too! Me too!"

Felicity beamed. "Presents before?"

"You need something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue, right?" Sara brought up.

Felicity really hadn't worried about that. She'd just been focusing on getting everything together for the wedding. All she and Oliver had really been concerned about was to have those that they loved there with them when they said their vows. "I guess I forgot about that tradition…"

"It's still a tradition," Sara told her as she and Thea helped to put the veil on.

They'd decided that they really didn't need to pick out best men or maids of honor or anything like that, instead they just wanted everyone there. Sara and Thea had decided that they needed to wear matching dresses as if they were official bridesmaids anyways. After all, if they were doing this by the book, they really would be the bridesmaids. They were both wearing a bright pink and looked beautiful in them and Felicity felt like the color just made them both look so happy. Thea had even assured her after the dresses had been bought that she'd make sure that the guys cooperated. She'd believe it when she saw it.

"So, it's something old...something new...something borrowed...and something blue," Thea said once the veil was secured in place, but pulled back so that her face wasn't covered just yet.

"I have the something old," Tommy spoke up.

Thea pouted. "I wanted to go first."

"Do you have something old?" he asked as he moved towards Felicity.

"No."

Tommy seemed pleased that he got to go first. He pulled something out of his pocket and Felicity waited. He held up a necklace. It was obviously old and simple. A chain with a heart pendant on it. "It was my mother's," Tommy told her. "She would have liked you…" He smiled brighter. "Dad bought it for her when they first started dating…"

"Tommy-"

"Don't argue," Tommy told her and went ahead and put it on her. "They would have wanted you to have it...and I'm not going to wear it."

Felicity smiled and fingered the heart for a moment before hugging Tommy. It was becoming harder and harder to keep from crying. "Thank you!"

"I'm so happy for you," he whispered in her ear.

She pulled away and looked at him as she pushed away tears. Her make up was going to be done before they even left the room at this point. Felicity hoped that they had enough time to touch up because she was going to need it.

"Something borrowed," Sara announced and held up a garter. It was the standard kind of garter, but this one had a green arrow dangling against the ruffle of it. "It's new...but I want it back…" she told Felicity. "I figured this could be a good part of our family's tradition. All of us...we can wear it on our wedding days…"

"Not that you and Roy need to get married tomorrow or anything," Tommy told Thea.

Felicity laughed and took it from Sara. "I think it's a lovely idea, thank you," she said and hugged her. It was thoughtful and she liked the idea of them having their own family traditions. Their family might not be traditional in the standard sense, but it was their family and she wouldn't change that for anything. They took a minute to get the garter in place even though it seemed to make Tommy a little uncomfortable. The ceremony was going to start and they all needed to make sure that they were ready to go when the door was opened again.

"Something new, you have the dress and the veil," Sara explained.

"Something blue, Thea," Tommy told their sister.

Thea had to wait until last, but Felicity thought that maybe that was best. Her brother and sister would be the bookends of her pre-wedding gifts. Thea stepped forward and held open her hand, palm up. There was a blue and white bracelet in it. "I made it," Thea told her as Felicity took it out of her hands.

Felicity looked it over for a moment, her fingers rubbed against the buttons that had made up the bracelet. She felt like she was going to cry again.

"You'd said that when your grandmother had died, when you and your mom to clean out her house, you kept finding buttons everywhere...and you wished that your mom would let you keep at least some of them…" Thea was quiet for a moment and more tears began to fall. "I went to his house...I took the buttons off of all of his shirts… I know it sounds crazy," Thea continued. "But it was sort of nice to be destructive...even if it was just cutting buttons off of shirts."

All of the buttons were blue and white and it was special that they were from Merlyn's shirts. Felicity let out a short laugh as she put slipped the bracelet onto her wrist, her laugh was mixed with grief and happiness, and threw her arms around her little sister. She remembered telling Thea about her grandmother on the island. It was during one of their sisterly hair washing sessions. That had seemed so long ago...like a lifetime before. Felicity was surprised that she remembered it, let alone that she'd done something so sweet like this.

"Thank you," she whispered as she clung to Thea. It was hard to think of going back to how things were...to her not knowing that Thea was her sister and to not having Tommy. Felicity didn't know how she'd lived without her siblings for so long. Now that she had them, she was never letting them go.

There was a knock on the door and then a voice from the other side. "You ready?"

Her stomach felt like it was filled with fluttering butterflies. Felicity knew that it was silly to be nervous. She was marrying Oliver. They'd both decided this was right and she wanted it. Maybe it was normal… Maybe it was because the moment was finally here. Whatever it was, Felicity wished the feeling away.

"Two minutes!" Thea told him. "One last make-up fix!"

Tommy laughed and kissed Felicity's cheek. "I'll see you out there," he said as he made his way out of the room.

Thea suddenly was going to work to make sure that there wasn't running mascara and touching up where she felt like it was needed when she suddenly felt an awkward tension in the room. Felicity looked over to see Moira Queen standing there. She knew that Moira was going to be at the wedding because Felicity had told Oliver that it wouldn't be right NOT to invite her, she would always be his mother. But they'd also invited Walter in hopes that he'd keep her in line.

"Can I have a minute alone with Felicity?" Moira requested.

Thea didn't look like she was leaving, instead she ignored her mother as she continued to fix the make-up. "She's about to go out," Thea said a bit harshly. "Please don't ruin this…"

"Why do you always assume I'm going to ruin everything?"

Everyone was suddenly staring at Moira. Felicity didn't think that Moira realized how she treated people. Or if she did, she just didn't care. Even her own children didn't want to deal with her and Felicity found that a little sad. Maybe it was from all of the TV shows and movies that depicted perfect, loving, and supportive parents. None of them really had those, well at least none of her siblings did. Sara had good parents. They had Walter… Even as an adult, though, you needed parents in your life. You needed to be reminded that you have someone there to support you. It was something they were lacking.

"It's okay, Thea," she said quietly.

Today was their day. Hers and Oliver's. Moira wasn't going to take that away. Felicity was determined. But she didn't want to walk down that aisle knowing that there was his crazy tension. She was marrying Oliver and there was nothing his mother could do to stop that. They'd already gone and gotten their marriage license, which Diggle was holding onto for safe keeping. The ceremony was really just for them. They didn't HAVE to have it, but Oliver had told her that he wanted HER to have that day and he wanted them to have this special day to mark the beginning of the rest of their lives.

"Felicity-" Thea started to argue.

Placing her hand on Thea's arm, she smiled at her. "Just a minute," Felicity told her. "You'll be right outside the door," she reminded as her hand moved down to grasp Thea's hand and squeezed it lightly. She understood Thea feeling like she needed to protect her from her mother, but Felicity wasn't going to let anything or anyone ruin her day.

"Right outside and only a minute," Thea said firmly before exiting with Sara.

Moira seemed to wait to say anything until they were alone. "You look...quite lovely," Moira commented.

"Thank you," Felicity responded evenly, trying to keep her smile in place.

"Walter told me that the only reason that I was even invited to the wedding was because of you," Moira said. She seemed to be looking for confirmation. Felicity wondered if Oliver or Thea had been the one to say something to Walter. It certainly hadn't been her.

But Moira WAS right.

Moira was there because Felicity had insisted. She'd actually reached out to her mother, but she had said that she couldn't come. They'd offered to fly her out and have accommodations waiting, but she just wouldn't come. So, it only seemed right that they get as many family members to come as possible since it was going to be so small.

"Oliver knew that you wouldn't approve of our choices," she said slowly. "He knew that you wanted it to be a huge event...to have media cover it...and worried that you would take over and it wouldn't feel like OUR day." Felicity remained calm as she spoke. "That's why we didn't tell you until yesterday. I know you think that you're doing the right thing by Oliver and Thea, but we have to make our own mistakes...all of us…"

She was silent.

Felicity wasn't sure how to really take that. Moira Queen was certainly not a woman to be messed with, but Felicity wasn't going to be her prisoner in life. Merlyn had told them that they could live their lives...and then in a way, he'd freed them all with his death. She wasn't going to go back to that life before. This was a new beginning for all of them and that's why it was so important that it was done THEIR way, whether Moira understood and supported them or not.

"You know that I feel like Oliver deserves someone else...someone better...someone who's from OUR circle," Moira said evenly. "You being Malcolm's daughter just complicates things…" Moira paused for a moment. "I wanted to come here and somehow to get you to leave Starling City...to leave Oliver...I'd write you a blank check...ANYTHING to get you to leave…" She paused again and took a breath. "But then I saw Oliver and Tommy…" She smiled. "I realized that he and Tommy are better men...that they're happy… It's been so long since I've seen Oliver and he's seemed so happy… When I came into this room, I still was thinking about trying to convince you, but then Thea… Before she got defensive because of me being in here...how she is with you...how happy she is…" Moira shook her head. "I can't do it. You're going to join our family and as much as I might not agree with it...you make this family better."

Felicity definitely wasn't expecting that to come out of Moira's mouth. She supposed that she wasn't the only one who had changed over the last several months. It was almost sad that Moira hadn't said that with Thea in the room, Felicity thought that her sister should have heard it. Maybe it would smooth things out between them all.

"Wow…" Felicity murmured.

"I just wanted to THANK you...for letting me be here to share in your day with my son," Moira told her.

Before Felicity could say anything else, Moira was already showing herself out. Her fingers came up to touch her lips lightly as she thought about what Moira had just said. Thea and Sara in and she could see the questioning looks. They obviously knew there hadn't been any screaming, but she was fairly sure that they'd both be shocked when they found out that Moira had practically welcomed her into the family and then THANKED her.

"It's all okay," Felicity assured them. "Are we ready?"

Sara fixed the veil and pulled it over her head, so that it was covering her face now. She handed her the bouquet of flowers next. "I think we're ready...if you're ready to do this…"

Felicity beamed. "I'm MORE than ready," she confirmed and realized that the butterflies were all gone and that she was practically ready to skip down the aisle. She didn't know if she could be MORE ready to marry Oliver. Everything felt like it was falling into place and she was excited for the future.

"We'll see you out there then," Thea told her, grabbed her wristlet, and then disappeared.

Sara lingered a bit longer, telling the person on the other side of the door that it was time to start. "I'll get the music started and we'll be waiting…" she told them before hurrying out.

"Are you sure that there isn't someone else you'd rather do this?"

With no father to walk her down the aisle, Felicity had thought about letting Tommy do it or just not to have someone do it. She'd thought about Walter, but then she and Oliver had decided to let him do something else that was just as important. Felicity didn't HAVE to have someone walk her down the aisle, but it just seemed like something special… "If you'd rather not-"

"No, no," Lance said quickly as he held out his arm for her. "You're like a daughter to me… We're going to do this."

Smiling, she took his arm. They took a step out of the room that she'd been preparing in. They headed out, the wedding was being held in a garden and then they'd have lunch there after. There was another area where food was supposed to be set up. It was simple and just them and that was perfect. "Thank you, for walking me…" Felicity told him as she looked at him as they walked.

"Just know," he said below a whisper. "That if Oliver puts you in harm's way again...like you're some kind of pawn...I WILL destroy him."

Felicity stared at him for a long moment, trying to process the threat. "What?"

"I know."

"You know?" she asked, still confused. "You've known Oliver since he was-"

"I know he's the Arrow… It's not THAT hard to connect the dots, especially after all of you started to pop up to play hero," Lance told her. "Don't worry, I'm not telling anyone, but I won't see you hurt."

"Well, I'm GLAD that you know," she told him as a smile flourished as they continued to walk. It was honest and true. "I HATE keeping secrets...and I KNOW we can trust you. If Sara's my family, then I should be able to say you are too…"

"I'd like that," Lance told her.

They were at the doors that led out of the building they'd been in and about to enter the garden. She couldn't see Oliver yet, but she was excited. Here she was, about a minute away from him and suddenly couldn't wait to say 'I do'. She sucked in a deep breath and then Felicity and Lance started out onto the grass, which was slightly difficult given the heels she was wearing, but she could do it. Plus, Felicity knew that Lance wasn't going to let her fall.

"There's still time to turn back," Lance whispered teasingly.

It only made her beam more. "Never."

As everyone came into sight, Felicity knew more than ever that they'd chosen correctly by only inviting people that they felt of as family. It was then that she also realized that everyone was matching, as if, they'd planned it...even Moira. Walter, Moira, Thea, Roy, Tommy, Sara, and Diggle were waiting there in a half circle and Oliver was standing in the middle. He was in a grey suit, white shirt, and a pink and white paisley tie. He had on a boutonniere that matched the flowers that she carried, but his smile outshone everything.

She had no second thoughts.

None.

This was where she was supposed to be.

Oliver Queen was who she was supposed to marry.

Lance held her hand out for Oliver to take once they were to the circle. Oliver stepped forward, took her hand, she handed her flowers off to Sara, and then they both stepped into the middle as Lance joined the others before the circle closed around them. Felicity and Oliver took hands, facing each other. This was probably the smallest and most intimate and just perfect ceremony that she could imagine.

It was perfect.

"I want to thank everyone for being apart of Oliver and Felicity's special day," Walter spoke up after a moment in his beautiful British accent. He paused and then started reading from the small notebook he had. "Marriage gives permanence and structure to a couple's love. It's a way to tell one another that no matter how much you snore or how much you spent on a dress, we're still in this together. It's more permanent than the weird tattoo that seemed to just appear on Oliver and has more staying power than Felicity's adorable ability to ramble and say the most inappropriate things in nearly every sentence. Marriage is telling the person you love that you're not going anywhere and that's a powerful commitment for two people to make to one another."

Felicity just smiled as Walter spoke and stared at Oliver through her veil. They'd squeeze hands and smile brighter here and there. She was mostly nervous now because they'd decided to write their own vows and she knew it was coming up. Felicity hadn't written them on cards, but had hoped to remember everything that she wanted to say to Oliver.

"A good marriage must be built on the foundation of this commitment," Walter continued. "In marriage the 'little' things are the big things. It is never being too old to hold hands. It is remembering to say, 'I love you' at least once a day. It is never going to sleep angry. It is standing together and facing the world. It is speaking words of appreciation, and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow. It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is not only marrying the right partner — it is being the right partner."

Every word that Walter seemed to say seemed so right. Neither one of them had chosen what he was saying. They'd asked him to officiant and he'd agreed and they'd left everything up to him. Tears sprang forth and she reached up to carefully brush those tears away with her finger. Felicity didn't know Walter as well as she would like, but she was so glad that they'd asked him to officiate their wedding...because with each word he was proving that he knew THEM.

"The road that has brought Felicity and Oliver here today hasn't been easy. It's been filled with challenges that they weren't necessarily prepared for. But together they've taken each one on and have used those experiences to strengthen, not weaken their love," Walter spoke evenly and steadily. He paused and looked between Oliver and Felicity. "Now, Felicity and Oliver will exchange the vows that they wrote for each other."

This was it.

Their eyes met and words just started to pour out of her. "Oliver, when we first met, you lied to me...but I knew that I could trust you. You opened my eyes to a life beyond my computer and the day to day routine. You redefined my life and we became a family by choice. We pushed each other and you have always been there for me no matter what happened." She paused and told herself that she couldn't cry as she thought about their life over the past couple of years. Once she felt like she could contain her tears, she spoke. "I knew you'd come… I knew you'd keep me safe… You have my love. You have my heart You have my soul. And I will always believe in you...even when you don't believe in yourself." She squeezed his hands as she continued. "I would do anything for you. I love you, Oliver, and there is no one I'd rather spend my future with."

As Felicity stared at him after finishing her words, she realized that he was having just as much of a hard time keeping tears at bay. There was a huge smile on his face, but tears suddenly started to fall. She reached out and brushed them away for him, a smile brightening on both of their faces. This truly was so special and so intimate.

"Felicity," Oliver said and then took a moment. "You were the first person who made me smile when I returned to Starling City. You made things harder for me...in a good way. You made me think." He paused again and let out a slight chuckle. "Ultimately, you've made everything clearer and better in my life. I never THOUGHT of myself as more… I never SAW myself as more than my past, than the shell of Oliver Queen, or than the man who should take over the family's company." He paused and she watched as he looked around at those who surrounded them for a moment. "You've kept my secrets. You've been the one who pushes me back and proves that life really is worth living...no matter how bleak it looks. I love you, Felicity, and I cannot live another day without you as my wife."

Felicity sucked in breath as tried to lower her emotions as tears continued to well up. She didn't think she'd be so emotional, but she just couldn't help it...and really, it was nice to have the ability to BE emotional. None of them had to worry about the city burning or running off to save it. Right now, it was just THEM. It was her and Oliver.

"Felicity and Oliver will now exchange rings to symbolize their commitment. Rings are derived from humble beginnings of imperfect metal to create something striking where there was once nothing at all," Walter announced. "Oliver, please take Felicity's hand and repeat these words."

Diggle handed Oliver a thin rose gold colored band that matched the other one that she wore. Oliver held the ring against the tip of her ring finger and waited.

"I give you this ring, as a symbol of our love," Walter spoke.

Oliver slowly started to slide the ring forward. "I give you this ring, as a symbol of our love."

"For today and tomorrow, and for all the days to come."

He continued to push the ring towards the other two on her finger. "For today and tomorrow, and for all the days to come," he repeated.

"Wear it as a sign of what we have promised on this day."

The ring settled against the other two and Oliver continued to hold her hand as he smiled at her. "Wear it as a sign of what we have promised on this day."

"And know that my love is present, even when I am not."

"And know that my love is present, even when I am not," Oliver repeated flawlessly with a huge smile and then brought her hand up and kissed it.

Felicity felt like a princess. The rings looked beautiful together and she never thought about wearing a set, but they were simple and she loved how they looked together. To her, the three rings represented their past, present, and future.

"Felicity, please take Oliver's hand and repeat these words," Walter said. Felicity was handed the ring from Sara. His ring felt heavy in her hand. "I give you this ring as a symbol of our love."

Oliver's ring was rose gold, like hers were, but it had a hammered texture to it. They'd thought about trying to incorporate green into it or an arrow, but that had seemed like it was too much of a nod to him being the Arrow. No need to bring any more attention to him, if his identity was compromised. "I give you this ring," Felicity repeated as she held the ring between her fingers. "As a symbol of our love."

Walter spoke the next line. "For today and tomorrow, and for all the days to come."

Slowly, she slid the ring onto his finger. "For today and tomorrow, and for all the days to come."

"Wear it as a sign of what we have promised on this day."

The ring slid into place at the base of his finger as she repeated the next line. "Wear it as a sign of what we promised on this day," she told him and found that the exchanging of the rings was a nice in between to the flooding of emotions.

"And know that my love is present, even when I am not."

Felicity smiled a little brighter as her finger smoothed over the ring now on his finger. "And know that my love is present, even when I am not," she told Oliver.

"Felicity and Oliver you have professed your love by exchanging your vows. You have symbolized your commitment by exchanging rings," Walter continued. "Now…" He paused for a moment. "Felicity, do you take Oliver to be your husband; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Felicity said quickly.

"Oliver, do you take Felicity to be your wife; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Oliver replied without a beat passing.

Walter was smiling at them both, not concentrating on his book. "By the power vested in me I now pronounce you husband and wife. Oliver you may kiss your bride."

Oliver didn't need to be told twice. The veil was lifted, Oliver's arms wrapped around her, he dipped her, and kissed her. Felicity laughed into the kiss. She didn't think that she could be any happier. They were married. She and Oliver. The two of them were joined for life. Felicity just wanted to bottle that moment and hold onto it forever.

"It is my great honor and privilege to be the first to present to you Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Queen!" Walter announced. Everyone cheered immediately.

They separated and Felicity just stared at him. "We're married," she whispered, their hands grasped together.

"And now, I'm never letting you go," Oliver told her before giving her a quick kiss.

. . .

The End.


End file.
